{library of congress.! 

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I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. J 



THE PRESENT STATE, PROSPECTS, 

AND V +*~4 

. RESPONSIBILITIES % £iT 



METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



WITH AN 



APPENDIX OF ECCLESIASTICAL STATISTICS, 



BY NATHAN BANGS, D. D. 

n N o /* 7*-- c ,'' 

PUBLISHED BY LANE & SCOTT, 

200 Muiberry-street. 
JOSEPH LONG KING, PRINTER. 




Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1850, by 
LANE & SCOTT, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern 
District of New-York. 



~* ■ " * ' • C * ..14 



PREFACE. 



From the time of the outpouring of the Spirit upon the 
day of Pentecost, until the exaltation of Constantine the 
Great, in the beginning of the fourth century, to the im- 
perial government, Christianity had been rapidly winning 
its way in the midst of violent oppositions, and some- 
times of cruel persecutions, until it finally established 
itself in the heart of the Eoman Empire. Erom that in- 
auspicious period it gradually lost much of its vital 
principles, by accommodating itself to the maxims of 
the world, and paying obeisance to civil rulers, and seek- 
ing to shape itself according to the political views of 
men invested with temporal power. It continued its 
retrograde motion until finally it degenerated into a 
" strange plant," nourished in a corrupted soil. Twelve 
centuries of midnight darkness brooded over the Church, 
and so beclouded the Sun of Righteousness that his 
rays were scarcely perceptible, and even the stars of the 
firmament gave but a twinkling light, to direct the weary 
pilgrim in the path to life and immortality. 

We may presume, it is true, that during this long 
night of darkness, here and there were found pious souls, 
breathing out their desires to God, while they mourned 
over the general desolations which overspread the Church, 



4 



PREFACE. 



for pure and undefiled religion among men. But they 
were so few and far between, that their names scarcely 
appear upon the page of ecclesiastical history. Monk- 
ish superstition, bodily austerities, and a vain attempt to 
discipline the mind to the rules of piety, by fasting, 
prayers, pilgrimages, the collection and worship of re- 
lics, founding monasteries and nunneries, were substi- 
tuted for that heartfelt piety consisting in pure love to 
God and man, by which the primitive Christians were 
distinguished. 

God, however, had not wholly forsaken the world ; 
for had he done so, it would have perished in the tomb 
of its own corruptions. In addition to the few sighing 
ones to whom we have already alluded, arose, in the fif- 
teenth century, in Bohemia, John Hass, an eloquent and 
learned man, who preached vehemently against the vices 
of the clergy. But his light was soon extinguished 
by the fury of his enemies. Nor did John Wiclif, who 
arose in England a little before Huss, and strove to re- 
vive the flame of pure religion, share a better fate ; for 
though he died a natural death, yet his enemies perse- 
cuted him while living, and, after his death, displayed 
their malice at this bold reprover, by causing his bones 
to be dug up and publicly burned. To complete their 
malignant projects, they finally inflicted the sentence of 
death upon Jerome of Prague, the companion of Huss, 
who was committed to the flames on the 14th of May, 
1416. 

But these acts of cruelty could not wholly extinguish 
the flame of pure love which began to be enkindled in 



PREFACE. 



5 



the hearts of a few; for soon after, namely, in 1517, 
God raised up Luther in Germany, to stem the torrent 
of iniquity, and to open the pure fountain of divine 
truth and love. The events of the Keformation, brought 
about through the instrumentality of Luther, Melanc- 
thon, and others, in Germany; of Arminius and his 
compeers in Holland ; of Cranmer and his associates in 
England; of Knox and his coadjutors in Scotland; 
of Zwingle and his followers in Switzerland, are all 
well known, and therefore need not be rehearsed here. 
But, alas for the glory of the Church ! These lights 
were extinguished by death, and their followers soon 
sunk away into a dead formalism ; so that the whole 
Protestant world, with but few exceptions, became wed- 
ded to the State, and thus imitated the conduct of the 
Church in the days of Constantine. The peculiar 
glories of Christianity were obscured by the smoke and 
dust of political strife, and by the pride and ostentation 
of the dignitaries of the Church. 

In this state lay the religious world when Wesley 
arose, and preached anew the doctrine of justification 
by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and holiness of 
heart and life. What he did — the success of his labours, 
and the holy influence which he was instrumental in 
producing — I have endeavoured to show in the follow- 
ing chapters. If the positions I have attempted to estab- 
lish be founded in truth, as I cannot but believe they are, 
then may we hope and steadfastly believe that God is 
about to visit the earth with a more copious shower of 
divine grace than it has ever heretofore witnessed. I 



6 



PREFACE. 



would not indeed deceive myself, nor mislead my 
readers ; but if it be a fact, as I have endeavoured to 
demonstrate, that almost all denominations of Protes- 
tant Christians are waking up to the vast importance of 
vital godliness, of the absolute necessity of holiness of 
heart and life, then have we not reason to believe that 
Jesus Christ is about to take to Himself his great power, 
and reign universal King upon the earth? 

That this grand consummation may be fully realized, 
those members of the Christian Churches, who can be- 
hold the " signs of the times," and who see and feel the 
necessity of persevering exertions in the cause of evan- 
gelical truth, light, and holiness, must unite their ener- 
gies, and use with conscientious diligence all the appli- 
ances within their grasp, for the promotion of the vital 
cause of Christianity. They must not stop to dispute 
about non-essentials or minor points of doctrine, modes 
of church government, or the mere ceremonies of reli- 
gion, but must unite all their energies, and combine all 
their influence, to oppose sin and sinful errors, and to 
establish the kingdom of God, which consists in " right- 
eousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 1 ' 

That this may be the case, is the sincere prayer of 
the author. 



CONTENTS* 



CHAPTER I. 

The state of the Methodist Episcopal Church— Erroneous views 
—Diminution of Members for three years past allowed— How 
accounted for — TheMillerite delusion — Great increase in 1843 
and 1844 — Subsequent sifting — The present compared with 
former diminutions — All this no proof of backsliding — So far 
from it, that we now have a greater proportion of the popula- 
tion than formerly — All this, cause of gratitude Page 15 

CHAPTER H. 

Decrease but temporary— Its causes— Disputes between the 
North and South— The Mexican War— Compared with the 
War of 1813-1815— Like results produced — The abolition ex- 
citement — The fact, therefore, of a diminution in numbers 
no proof of a departure from vital piety— On the contrary, we 
have evidence of improvement r 20 

CHAPTER ILL 
Evils allowed to exist — These are exceptions — The majority truly 
pious — Evidences of improvement — Temporally in wealth — 
In church building — Comparison between our present and 
former state in this respect 28 

CHAPTER IT. 

Education another evidence of improvement— Wesley's work in 
this cause— Efforts of Coke and Asbury in this cause failed— 
Effect of this failure disparaging — Recent efforts more success- 
ful — Some opposed to this cause — But God has sanctioned it 
— Truly Wesleyan — The Methodists have done much to their 
credit— Who will say that this is no evidence of improve- 
ment? 33 

CHAPTER V. 

The Missionary cause an evidence of improvement— Origin of 
the Missionary Society— Opposition encountered— Feebleness 



8 



CONTENTS. 



of its beginning— Gradually advanced— Finally triumphs— 
What it has achieved— All this a practical demonstration of 
improvement Page 39 

CHAPTER VI. 

Home missions — Their blessed effects — Other benevolent move- 
ments — Increased number of books another evidence of im- 
provement — Origin of the Book-Concern — Its feebleness — La- 
bours under a heavy debt — No American writers — Its income 
small — Its present prosperous state — This institution has been 
sustained by Methodists 45 

CHAPTER YII. 
Examination of doctrine— In what Methodism consists— Its pe- 
culiarities— Sanctification — Mr. Wesley's views of this doc- 
trine — This doctrine continues to be preached— There is there- 
fore no deterioration here 53 

CHAPTER YUL 
Old-fashioned Methodism — In what it consists — Distinction be- 
tween its vital principles and circumstantial parts— The first 
never change — The second may or may not be, though neces- 
sary to its growth — Divine call of its ministry — This essential 
— Circumstantials contribute much to its success — In these 
there is a manifest improvement 61 

CHAPTER IX. 

Want of success no evidence of a destitution of holiness, or of 
a Divine call— Defects always apparent— Modification of the 
itinerancy beneficial — Proved from a comparison of the former 
and present state of the old Rhinebeck district — Advantages 
of stations and small circuits 70 

CHAPTER X. 

Comparison between" American and English Methodism — We 
greatly outnumber them — The cause of this — Apology for 
the comparison— Respect of the Author for his English bre- 
thren — The objection taken from them has no foundation in 
reality — In finances they exceed us — Our deficiency unneces- 
sary — A remedy proposed 77 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XI. 

Defects in the Church— In the primitive Church — Influence of 
Methodism— Low state of religion at the time Wesley began 
his ministry— This fact generally acknowledged — His qualifi- 
cations for his work— Revival of the missionary work, the 
effect of Methodism — Proved from the state of the several 
missionary societies— In these the Methodists took the lead — 
This stated as an historical fact Page 87 

CHAPTER XII. 
Tract cause — Mr. Wesley took the lead in this — Reformed the 
literature of the age — His object in writing, to do good — Title 
of some of his tracts — Distributed one at the church door in 
London — Commences his printing establishment— His example 
followed by others — Hannah More — Tract societies organized 
in England and the United States— An example of the good 
effects of a tract 99 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Sunday-schools — Originated with Raikes — Wesley among the 
first to patronize them — Teachers labour gratuitously — Wes- 
ley's account of them — Origin in Wales by the labours of Mr. 
Charles— These gave rise to the Bible Societies— First taught 
by Methodists in America — The glory of the good work due to 
God 108 

CHAPTER XIV. 
The temperance reformation — Mr. Wesley takes the lead in this 
— Extract from his sermon — From his tract — General rule on 
that subject incorporated in an altered form at the organiza- 
tion of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1784— The Church 
vacillates on this subject— Intemperance gaining upon us — 
The voice of Hewitt awakens us — Restoration of Wesley's 
Rule— Importance of the cause 118 

CHAPTER XV. 
An apology — God the Fountain of all good — His servants to be 
esteemed — Disputes among Christians a hindrance to the 
Gospel — Evangelical Alliance — Mr. Wesley proposed its prin- 
ciples eighty-six years since — Extracts from his letter to the 
clergy on this subject — Produced no immediate effect — 127 



10 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XVI. 
The same subject continued— Difference between Wesley and 
Whitefield — Their interviews, in which Whitefield declines 
the proffer of union — More mature reflection altered his mind 
— The sentiments of Wesley embody the principles of the 
Evangelical Alliance — The author's publications on that subject 
—Divine love essential to constitute Christian union. . Page 136 

CHAPTER XVH. 
A great reformation has been effected— So notorious that it is 
useless to contend with those that deny it — Former opposition 
to Methodism — Its causes — Pulpit and press against it — How 
met and removed — Southey's Life of Wesley contributed to 
make him better known — Wesley's Works published and read — 
These seemed to remove prejudice, as they were read by other 
denominations— Clarke's Commentary was published— Exa- 
mined by other denominations— His learning and piety con- 
ceded — Its good effects — The hand of God shown in all these 
things 145 

CHAPTER XVIH. 
God the original cause of all good — At the time Methodism arose 
pure religion at a low ebb — It was hence violently opposed — 
The objections met and obviated — How — The cause steadily 
advanced— The doctrine of sanctification avowed — It spread 
among other denominations — Mahan and Upham advocate it 
with ability — The blessed effects of this — The opposition in a 
great measure ceases — All evangelical ministers are uniting — 
The names of several mentioned — Methodism contributed to 
this — The author disclaims bigotry — Confirms his love to all 
sincere Christians 155 

CHAPTER XLX. 
Influence of the Gospel— United influence of Christians— Experi- 
mental religion inseparably connected with keeping the com- 
mandments — The present state of the world highly favourable 
—Comparative view — Its former state — The patriarchal — Mo- 
saic— Israelitish— The time of our Saviour — Church and State 
— The time of the Reformation— Later times— All worse than 
the present — Though many pure spirits were found in those 



CONTENTS. 



11 



times, yet their sufferings prove the general wickedness — 
Intolerance of Christians towards each other — These facts 
prove that the present are better than the former times Page 167 

CHAPTER XX. 
The evils of civil or religions despotism — Altered state of things 
for the better— Produced by pure religion — The hand of God 
seen in this — Labours of Simpson and Buchanan, and other 
Missionaries— British and Foreign and American Bible Socie- 
ties — All these tended to break down bigotry and establish a 
catholic spirit— The contrast between the present and former 
times striking— Bright hope for the future 176 

CHAPTER XXI. 
The author expresses his conviction in the validity of his con- 
clusions — Former incredulity in chronological interpretations 
-Mr. Fleming's prediction of the downfall of the Pope in 1848 
—These opened new views— Wesley and Faber approximate 
near each other, and with Fleming— Causes of the, difference 
— This difference being so small, confirms the truth of the pre- 
diction—All these things argue the near approach of the mil- 
lennium — In what this is to consist — Further representations 
of Fleming — Final overthrow of the Pope in the year 2000 — 
The reasons for this 186 

CHAPTER XXII. 

The millennium near at hand, though much remains to be 
done before its realization — The present state of the world — 
1,000,000,000 its estimated population— One-third only of these 
are Christians — the others Mohammedans, Pagans, and Jews 
—Probably two-thirds of the Christians either Roman Catho- 
lics or Greeks— Among the 70,000,000 Protestants, not over 
3,500,000 real Christians— Look at China— At Africa— At Eu- 
rope—Prospects gloomy — State of the Protestant world— Evils 
of Church and State— Look at America— Gloomy state of 
South America and Mexico— Glance at the conquest— The 
United States — Here things more favourable— Much remains 
to be done— Calculation of the time for the general spread of 
the Gospel— The holy Christian fixes his faith on the promises 
of God— Present facilities for the spread of the Gospel 197 



12 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XXm. 
Statement of particular facts — These prove that evangelical 
religion is reviving — European revolutions favourable to reli- 
gious toleration — Extracts of letters from Italy — from Switzer- 
land — from Hungary — from Germany — These all indicate a re- 
vival of godliness — Meeting of evangelical ministers in Wit- 
tenberg — A spirit of union prevails — These facts prove that 
pure religion is advancing — The fire of Divine love will burst 
forth suddenly, and consume all before it Page 208 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
We live in an eventful era — The author confines his address to 
his own Church — Increase of means augments responsibility — 
Wealth a blessing if used right— No sin in gold and silver, but 
in their abuse — The blessings of life should create gratitude — 
The manner in which wealth becomes a snare — How it may be 
made a blessing — Increase of wealth devolves high responsi- 
bility — Surplus wealth enough to liquidate the debts of 
churches— Covetousness must be eradicated 222 

CHAPTER XXV. 
Sanctification and benevolence go together— Those in middling 
circumstances most liberal — If all were so, there would be no 
lack — This not done — Why not — Importance of the subject — 
Methodists generally thriving — Covetousness not confined to 
the rich — To ascertain whether all give according to their abi- 
lity, the missionary cause examined — Great deficiency — The 
same supposed in other departments — The duty of liberality 
pressed upon all preachers and people 231 

CHAPTER XXVI. 
Holiness esslhtial to vigorous action — The Church acts through 
her ministers — Curse of mere formal ministers — Learning 
sanctified by grace — Advantages of the present over former 
ministers — This increases responsibility — Eminent talents 
compatible with deep piety — Examples of this — Does not ex- 
clude others — The whole pressed upon the reader 240 

CHAPTER XXVH. 
Erroneous method of converting sinners, particularly the Ro- 
man Catholics — True method — Our example must be good — 



CONTENTS. 



13 



Love and meekness must be exhibited — Contrast between 
Popery and Protestantism — Religion of love must be propa- 
gated by love — Erroneous method pursued towards Roman 
Catholics — The parties in our country — Real Christians — 
Nominal Christians — Semi-infidels and bare-faced infidels — 
The latter no indifferent spectators — Watching for faults 
among Christians — True method to be pursued — Combinations 
to put down any sect wrong — Not apostolic — Nor sanctioned 
by either Luther or Wesley — Successful method — It must be 
pursued in love — After the example of our Saviour — Such will 
succeed Page 252 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 
Time for action — Claims superior to the ancient crusade — This 
peaceful and saving — Home work — Common error to be 
avoided — If the whole Methodist Episcopal Church were 
deeply devoted and actively engaged, how much good might 
be accomplished — Much more were the entire evangelical 
world thus engaged — Sanctification gives enlarged views — 
Contrast between such and others — Were ministers and peo- 
ple thus devoted, how much good would be done — Tliis may 
be accomplished — Motives to try 266 

CHAPTER XXIX. 
Recapitulation — defects allowed — Facts and arguments unavail- 
able — Thanks to those who have volunteered their aid — 
Anonymous assailants unworthy of notice — Comparison be- 
tween her present strength and former feebleness — Two 
characters prone to find fault — The sleepy professor and the 
one recently awakened — Bright prospects — Much yet remains 
to be done — subjects chiefly dwelt upon — How the work must 
be spread — The work of sanctification must be pressed — A 
word to the Methodists — Entire consecration necessary to 
the realization of our hopes 278 



APPENDIX. 



No. I. 

An examination of the definition, " Methodism without philoso- 
phy" — A reply to P. — Two errors do not constitute a truth— 
The author deviates from his general rule, for the purpose of 
testing- the solidity of the above maxim — He acknowledges an 
inadvertence in language — On this account excuses P. for 
some things he has said, but rebukes him for others — These 
things an evidence of human infirmity — The erroneousness of 
the definition — It excludes doctrines, usages, and ordinances 
—Makes Methodism without body and soul — The definition 
denied — It contemns God's inspired messengers — The reform- 
ers — Wesley himself— Theological schools not the nurseries of 
heresies — Proved n sundry insitances — Nor are colleges — An 
apology for these schools — May be useful — If Methodism be 
religion without philosophy, then no true religion till Method- 
ism arose — This proved — What Methodism is Page 291 

No. II. 

No good perceived from the personal coming of Christ ; though, 
if this were plainly revealed, we ought to believe it neverthe- 
less — No such fact revealed—Examination of those texts 
generally relied on — Do not prove the fact — If he were thus to 
come, it would be as a man ; of course his personal appear- 
ance must be restricted to a particular place — Hence he could 
profit comparatively but few at a time — These difficulties 
overcome by his spiritual manifestation — This answers all the 
ends of his intercession — In this way he can accomplish 
a great work in a short time — The character of the millennium 
— Not all righteous — Proved from Daniel xii, 10, and Rev. 
xx, 8-10 — Gog and Magog, what — During the period of Millen- 
nial glory some remain wicked — More important to have the 
heart right than our mere speculations 308 



STATE AND PROSPECTS 

OF THE 

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



CHAPTER I. 

The state of the Methodist Episcopal Church— Erroneous views 
— Diminution of Members for three years past allowed — How 
accounted for — The Millerite delusion— Great increase in 1843 
and 1844 — Subsequent sifting— The present compared with 
former diminutions— All this no proof of backsliding-— So far 
from it, that we now have a greater proportion of the popula- 
tion than formerly — All this, cause of gratitude. 

Much has been written, of late, respecting the 
state and prospects of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. Some, indeed, have lamented over the 
Church as though they believed it had achieved its 
mission, or was about to be laid aside for having 
abused its trust, or misapplied its energies, and 
was therefore no longer to be an agent in the 
hand of God in effecting good for the human 
family. These melancholy conclusions have 
been drawn from the fact that there has been a 
diminution in the number of its members for 
some years past ; though, latterly, there has 
been an encouraging increase, which appears to 



16 DIMINUTION OF NUMBERS. 

i be an indication that God is about to visit His 
heritage again in mercy. I have read these la- 
mentations with a mixture of surprise and regret, 
believing that the writers have been led astray 
by their prejudices, or have drawn their conclu- 
sions from too superficial or contracted a view of 
the subject. 

The fact, however, is allowed, that there has 
been a diminution in the number of church-mem- 
bers. In 1 845, there was a diminution of 3 1, 763 ; 
in 1846, 12,343; and in 1847, 12,741, making 
the entire loss, during those three years, 56,847. 

Now, in order to see how this loss may affect 
the vital energies of the Church, we will com- 
pare it with the unusually large increase in the 
years 1843 and 1844. 

In 1843, the increase was 154,634. In 1844, 
the increase was 102,831, making the entire in* 
crease for those two years, 257,465. Now, sub- 
tract from this number the 56,847, which is the 
estimated amount of loss for the three years 
mentioned, and it will leave 200,618, the net 
increase during those five years. But for the 
year 1848, there was an increase of 7,508; and 
in 1849, of 23,249, making a net increase for 
these two years, of 30,757 ; so that the entire 
increase for the last seven years, after deducting 
all the losses, is 231,375. 



ACCOUNTED FOR. 



To enable us to account for the diminution 
during the years 1845, 1846, and 1847, we 
must take into consideration the circumstances 
which, it is highly probable, led to the large in- 
crease of the two years previous. During those 
years, and more especially in the year 1843, 
the minds of the people were greatly excited 
with the Millerite delusion, under the influence 
of which thousands of the people were induced 
to believe that the world was soon to come to 
an end. In full view of this awful catastrophe, 
they were led to call on God for mercy, and 
perhaps most of them were soundly converted 
to God ; while many others became apparently 
religious, under the influence of an artificial ex- 
citement. I say probably most of them were 
soundly converted to God ; for, taking into view 
the whole of the diminution, it still appears, 
from the facts above stated, that out of 257,445, 
the whole number received during the preva- 
lence of that excitement, all but 56,847 have 
stood fast. The proportion which this loss bears 
to the gain, is nearly the same as the proportion 
between the loss of probationers received and 
the whole number of those probationers ; for I 
believe it is generally allowed, that no more than 
three-fourths of those who have been received on 
probation, have graduated to full membership ; 
2 



18 DIMINUTION OF NUMBERS. 

and this is about the proportion of those that have 
been lost during the years above mentioned. 

But if this loss is to be taken as a proof of a 
low state of vital piety in the Church, and that 
God has forsaken her, what shall we say of 
other periods, in former days, when a greater 
proportionate diminution in numbers was wit- 
nessed ? Thus, in 1778, when there were only 
6,095 members in the Church, there was a di- 
minution of 872, which was a loss of about 1 in 7. 
In 1795, when the whole number of church- 
members was 60,604, there was a diminution 
of 6,317, which was a loss of about 1 in 9. In 
1845, there was a diminution of 31,769, and 
the whole number of church-members was 
1,139,587, which was a loss of about 1 in 35. 
So, then, notwithstanding the hue and cry about 
the want of zeal and skill in the ministry, and 
the lukewarmness and backsliding of the mem- 
bership, the proportion of those that were lately 
lost to the Church was by no means equal to — 
nay, it was nearly three-fourths less than — that 
which happened in the years 1778 and 1795 ; 
and yet God has been so eminently present with 
his ministers and people, and has blessed the 
labour of their hands so abundantly, that the 
Church has increased in numbers so rapidly, 
that in 1843 the membership had accumulated 



NOT PERMANENT. 



19 



to the amount of 1,068,525 ; and in 1844, 
1, 11 1,356 ; and, notwithstanding the diminution 
since that time, the present number of church- 
members, including the North and the South, is 
1, 1 14,509. So propitiously has the Lord smiled 
upon us ! 

There is another point of view in which this 
subject may be considered, which will afford us 
equal cause of gratitude to the great Head of 
the Church. In 1*795, our numbers were 
60,604, and the number of inhabitants in our 
country was then estimated at about 4,000,000. 
This would give to our Church one member 
for every sixty of the population. Allowing 
the present population of our country to be 
20,000,000, and allowing the number of church- 
members to be a little over 1,000,000, it will 
give at least one church-member to every twenty 
of the population; so that we have not only 
increased in the absolute number of our church- 
members, but the proportionate number has 
made a rapid advance upon the population, 
having become just three times as great now as 
it was fifty-three years ago. All this, be it re- 
membered, notwithstanding the increase of 
evangelical preaching, zeal, and efficiency, in 
other denominations, in the midst of whom we 
have been labouring. 



20 



DIMINUTION OF NUMBERS. 



Instead, therefore, of lamenting over our de- 
ficiency — although God knows we have faults 
enough to humble us in the dust — we have 
abundant cause of gratitude to the great Head 
of the Church for the merciful manner in which 
he has favoured our feeble, though, I trust, 
sincere endeavours to advance his cause upon 
the earth. 



CHAPTER II. 

Decrease but temporary— Its causes— Disputes between the 
North and South — The Mexican War — Compared with the 
War of 1813-1815— Like results produced— The abolition ex- 
citement — The fact, therefore, of a diminution in numbers 
no proof of a departure from vital piety — On the contrary, we 
have evidence of improvement. 

It may be said by some, that the great increase 
in the membership in 1843 and 1844, should 
have been followed by a proportionate increase 
for the following year, in order to prove that 
the Church has not deteriorated in her piety, or 
become lax in her appliances for the salvation 
of men. To this I answer, that allowing this 
should have been the case, such a conclusion by 
no means follows, as the diminution may have 
originated from other causes, and causes too 
beyond the reach of human control, at least so 
far as the Church, in her collective capacity, is 



TEMPORARY CAUSES. 



21 



concerned ; and whatever the causes may have 
been, I humbly trust they were but temporary 
in their character, for it seems that already the 
Lord is visiting his heritage again with the re- 
viving influences of his Spirit, as there was an 
increase, in 1848, of upwards of 7,000 ; and in 
1849, of 23,240, making an increase for the two 
past years of upwards of 30,000. Though it 
might be expected, that after such an unusual 
ingathering of souls in the two years above 
mentioned, namely, upwards of 256,000, under 
the impulses produced by such causes as were 
then at work, all, to be sure, under the manage- 
ment of Him, who made them subservient to 
His purposes of love to the human family, yet 
there were other causes at work during the 
years 1845, 1846, and 1847, which may be as- 
signed as a reason for the diminution, without 
supposing that any permanent departure from 
our ancient landmarks, either in doctrine, disci- 
pline, or practical piety, had taken place. 

In the first place, the disputes between the 
North and the South, during that ominous pe- 
riod, no doubt had a deleterious influence upon 
the interests of true religion. These disputes, 
in the manner in which they were conducted, 
certainly had a tendency to impair Christian 
confidence in one another, and thus to unfit the 



22 DIMINUTION OF NUMBERS. 

mind of believers for close communion with God, 
But as this unhappy state of things is now sub- 
siding, and personal recriminations, so disgrace- 
ful to the parties concerned, are giving place to 
a return of brotherly love and mutual confidence, 
I would touch upon this subject lightly, and 
would not, indeed, have alluded to it at all, were 
it not necessary to account for this temporary 
depression of the Church. How far these things 
may have affected us, more particularly here in 
the northern department of the Church, it may 
be difficult to tell ; but it is a truth which cannot 
be disputed, that we have suffered a greater 
diminution in church-members than they have 
in the South, if indeed they have suffered any 
at all, for I believe they have had a steady, 
though, comparatively, a small increase. But 
leaving this part of the subject with this slight 
allusion to it — for I have no wish to revive those 
heart- burnings which, I trust, are now nearly 
extinguished — I would remark in the 

Second place, that the war-spirit which per- 
vaded our land during the years above men- 
tioned, no doubt contributed its full share toward 
the result we here deprecate. This spirit has 
always been found exceedingly unfriendly to the 
diffusion of pure and undefiled religion ; for the 
spirit and practice of war, and the spirit and 



TEMPORARY CAUSES. 



practice of piety, are generally incompatible 
with each other, and cannot, therefore, long co- 
exist in the same person. In 1814, during the 
war between this country and Great Britain, 
when the total number of our church-members 
was 211,129, (not as many as was our increase 
in 1843 and 1844,) our decrease was 3,178, which 
was one to about sixty -five, more than half the 
proportionate decrease of 1846 ; and had the 
like causes existed at that time as above men- 
tioned in the latter case, the like result might 
have been witnessed ; and as, in the former in- 
stance, the injurious effects were but temporary, 
and ceased with the cause which produced 
them, so, I humbly trust, as the war with Mexico 
has now happily ended, the spirit of piety will 
resume its wonted tone, and revivals of religion 
will again pervade our land, as indeed they have 
already begun to do. 

In 1836, there was a decrease of 2,283. This 
was during the abolition excitement, which pro- 
duced agitations and disputes similar to those 
which arose at a later period, between the North 
and the South, and had a like injurious influence 
.upon the interests of pure religion, and finally 
ended in a small secession. These sad effects, 
however, disappeared with the cause which pro- 
duced them, and God afterwards visited the 



24 DIMINUTION OF NUMBERS. 

Church with one of the most remarkable revi- 
vals of religion ever witnessed in our country. 
And may we not hope that when the bickerings 
above alluded to shall have entirely ceased, and 
God's ministers and people shall give themselves 
wholly up to his work, and strive together for 
the promotion of his cause, a like heavenly in- 
fluence will be felt throughout all our borders ? 

Notwithstanding the disastrous results we 
have been considering in the diminution of 
church-members, though it may not be — and 
indeed is not, as I believe — an undeniable proof 
of a diminution of piety, the fact itself has been 
overruled for our good. It has tended to hum- 
ble us, has led to heart-searchings, to a thorough 
examination of ourselves, and has induced us to 
investigate the causes of this seeming declension ; 
and as far as they have been ascertained, to re- 
move them out of the way ; and likewise to ex- 
cite a spirit of fervent prayer and renewed dili- 
gence, that God may be pleased to pour out his 
Spirit, and revive and spread his work among 
the people. 

It will be perceived that while the fact is 
allowed — as indeed it cannot be controverted — ■ 
that there has been a diminution of church- 
members, and some of the supposed causes have 
been detected and pointed out, yet it is believed 



NO GROUND OF ALARM. 



25 



that these causes are but temporary in their 
character, and might, indeed, have been avoided, 
had prudent measures been adopted ; and that, 
therefore, they do not prove that there has been, 
on the whole, any essential deterioration in the 
Church, any departure from her primitive doc- 
trine or discipline, or in the general spirit and 
practice of piety, either among the preachers or 
people : on the contrary, I believe it is suscepti- 
ble of substantial proof, that by a comparison 
of the last twenty or thirty years, with any 
former period of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
it will be found that there has been most mani- 
fest improvement in almost every respect — im- 
provements of a highly beneficial character — of 
a character highly beneficial to the best interests 
of mankind — temporal, intellectual, spiritual, 
and eternal interests ! 

This opinion involves topics too numerous to 
be discussed in this chapter, and will require a 
statement of facts too numerous to be spread 
out in a narrow space ; and they will, therefore, 
be taken up in subsequent chapters, together 
with such arguments as may be considered 
necessary to sustain the opinion above expressed. 



26 



SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS. 



CHAPTER III. 

Evils allowedto exist — These are exceptions — The majority truly 
pious — Evidences of improvement — Temporally in wealth — 
In church building- — Comparison between our present and 
former state in this respect. 

I have said that, comparing the present state 
of the Church, or its state for twenty or thirty 
years past, with any former period, there has 
been a manifest improvement in almost every 
respect. This assertion I shall now endeavour 
to demonstrate. Let no one suppose, however, 
that I am so blind to the existence of facts, as 
not to admit that there are, and have been, evils 
among us — that there are individuals, both 
preachers and people, who are not as they ought 
to be — who are proud, vain, and criminally selfish 
— that such seek their own glory instead of the 
glory of the Lord Jesus ; and that others have 
disgraced themselves and the cause they had 
espoused by gross apostasies ; but, I would ask, 
at what period of our history have not these 
evils existed ? Those who are acquainted with 
our early history, know full well that obstinate 
heretics sprang up at that time — that some, 
even among the early preachers, became gross 
apostates, and thus disgraced themselves and 
their brethren by their evil deeds. I have been 



INCIDENTAL EVILS. 



21 



acquainted with Methodism for about forty-nine 
years, and I think I may say in truth, that I 
knew as many, if indeed not more, in the early 
days of my experience, in proportion to their 
number, that were not as they ought to have 
been, both among preachers and people, as may 
be seen now. We were always troubled, more 
or less, with uneasy spirits — with mercenary men 
and women — with disgusting egotists, whose 
vanity betrayed the emptiness of their brains, 
whose ignorance made them invincible to the 
impressions of truth, and whose selfishness ob- 
truded itself into every society in which they 
appeared ; with backsliders, hypocrites, and 
apostates, whose vices were ultimately exhibited 
to the view of all with whom they became ac- 
quainted — and with covetous, mercenary beings, 
who gave evidence they loved their gold (if they 
were so fortunate as to have any, and, if not, by 
their repinings at those who had it) better than 
their God — I say these evil-minded persons 
always were found among us, are among us still, 
and I suppose always will be ; but I do not be- 
lieve that they are more numerous now, in pro- 
portion to our numbers, than they were in any 
former period, if indeed they are as much so. 

But these are exceptions — mortifying excep- 
tions, it is true — to the general character of the 



28 



SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS. 



Methodists. I firmly believe that the great ma- 
jority of our church-members, including minis- 
ters and people, and I have had a pretty good 
opportunity of knowing them, hare been sin- 
cerely devoted to God, have been actuated by 
the purest motives, have felt the love of God 
and man to be the ruling principle of their 
hearts, the evidence of which has been furnished 
by the rectitude of their conduct ;— they have 
proved that they loved God hy keeping Ms 
commandments. This belief is founded upon 
an intimate acquaintance with them for about 
fifty years, during which time I have had an 
opportunity of familiarizing myself with minis- 
ters and people, from the highest order in the 
ministry to the lowest — bishops, elders, deacons, 
and preachers, and the various official members 
of the Church, trustees, stewards, and class- 
leaders, as well as the more private members — 
having transacted business with them, mingled 
in their councils, in conferences, quarterly, an- 
nual, and general, attended class-meetings, and 
the various other means of grace ; and from this 
intimate knowledge of all the affairs of the 
Church, I certainly have had a favourable op- 
portunity of judging of their motives, so far as 
motives may be ascertained from words and 
actions ; and from all these sources of informa- 



IN TEMPORAL THINGS. 



tion, I am led to the conclusion that, whatever 
may be said of certain individuals, whose cha- 
racter may be considered somewhat dubious, the 
great majority are as before described. 

These things being premised, — and they have 
been mentioned to prevent any one from sup- 
posing that I am either so blind as not to see 
faults, or so obstinate as not to admit them, — I 
proceed to state some of the evidences of our 
improvement. 

We have improved temporally. The most 
of those who embraced Methodism in its early 
days were among the poorer class of so- 
ciety. In consequence of their embracing the 
religion of the Lord Jesus= — and this is what I 
understand by their becoming Methodists — they 
have become sober, industrious, frugal in their 
manner of living, and thus many have become 
wealthy ; others are in comfortable and thriving 
circumstances ; while comparatively few are 
suffering from poverty, but most of them are 
reaping the fruits of honest industry. And let 
no one suppose that temporal good is not one 
of the blessings of the religion of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. Did not Jesus Christ present this 
among the motives to induce the people to en- 
ter His service ? " Seek ye first the kingdom 
of God and his righteousness, and all these 



30 



SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS, 



things shall be added unto yon/' — that is, all 
those temporal blessings of which he had been 
speaking. And did not the Saviour say to 
Peter, in answer to his interrogatory, what he 
should receive who had left all for Christ's 
sake, — " No man that hath left houses, or lands, 
wife," &c, "but he shall receive an hundred 
fold in this time, and in the world to come life 
everlasting ?" Thus " godliness is profitable for 
all things, having the promise of the life that 
now is, and of that which is to come." So 
far, therefore, from worldly prosperity being a 
mark of ungodliness, it is enumerated by the 
Lord Jesus himself, and included by his apos- 
tles, among the blessings of God's kingdom ; and 
many have experienced the fulfilment of the 
promise, by receiving even a hundred-fold in 
this life for the small sacrifice they were induced 
to make for the kingdom of heaven's sake. 
The danger is, of so setting their hearts upon 
riches as to make them their principal treasure, 
and neglecting to become rich toward God, by 
dispensing abroad, clothing the naked, feeding 
the poor, and making the hearts of the widow 
and fatherless to rejoice, and thus laying by a 
" good foundation against the time to come, 
that they may lay hold on eternal life." 

Whether or not the Methodists have done 



IN CHURCH BUILDING. 



81 



this, and are still doing it, according to their 
ability, let us inquire what they have done, and 
are still doing, to advance the cause of Christ. 
In the first place, they have much improved in 
church building. Those who have been ac- 
quainted with our circuits and stations for twen- 
ty, thirty, and forty years past, and who can 
compare our houses of worship then with what 
they are now, will be struck with the contrast, 
and will praise God for the improvement in this 
respect. In former days, most of the preaching- 
places, more particularly in the country villages 
and settlements, were private houses, school- 
houses, barns, and groves ; even when a church 
edifice was erected, a site was generally selected 
in some obscure retreat, remote from the centre 
of population, as though the Methodists were 
ashamed to be seen and heard by their neigh- 
bours ; and even this small edifice was frequently 
but half finished, and left to fall down under its 
own rottenness. In this respect there is a mighty 
improvement, such an improvement as must be 
encouraging to the hearts of all God's people. 
Now there are large and commodious houses of 
worship, not only in our populous cities — where 
indeed many have been recently rebuilt or en- 
larged, and their number increased with the ad- 
vancing population, — but in almost every village 



82 



SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS, 



and considerable settlement throughout the coun- 
try are found temples finished in a neat, plain 
style, in which the pure word of God is preach- 
ed, and his ordinances duly administered. How 
has this been accomplished ? Very few of the 
rich men of this world have come to our aid. 
The Methodist people, with their limited means, 
aided, to be sure, by a few of their more wealthy 
brethren, have done this, and they have done it 
with a liberality and enterprise worthy of all 
praise, and they ought, most assuredly, to have 
credit for the commendable zeal they have thus 
exemplified in the cause of God. It is true 
that some of these houses are deeply in debt ; 
but the brethren are using means to liquidate 
their debts, and I humbly trust that, by the 
blessing of God on their pious efforts, they will 
not only succeed in paying for those already 
built, but that they will go forward, and erect 
still more, as the increasing population of the 
country and the Church shall demand. 



EDUCATION. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Education another evidence of improvement-- Wesley's work in 
this cause— Efforts of Coke and Asbury in this cause failed— 
Effect of this failure disparaging— Recent efforts more success- 
ful — Some opposed to this cause — But God has sanctioned it 
—Truly Wesleyan— The Methodists have done much to their 
credit— Who will say that this is no evidence of improvement ? 

Another evidence of the improvement of the 
Church is, the revival and diffusion of the sjpirit 
and practice of education. We know that it 
was a favourite object of Mr. Wesley to provide 
for the education of the youth, not only in piety, 
but also in literature and science. Hence the 
early establishment of the Kingswood school ; 
and his followers have added another since his 
death, and have likewise established two theo- 
logical schools, for the training and education 
of such young men in the local ministry as are 
on the reserve -list, in scientific and theological 
knowledge, that they may thereby become bet- 
ter qualified to instruct others. 

At the organization of our Church in this 
country, in 1784, Dr. Coke and Bishop Asbury 
submitted a plan to the Conference for the es- 
tablishment of a college. Of this the Conference 
approved, and it was speedily carried into exe- 
cution ; the college buildings were erected, and 



34 



SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS. 



the school went into operation under favourable 
circumstances, and continued to prosper for 
about ten years, when the whole was consumed 
by fire. A second one soon after shared the 
same fate. These disastrous occurrences dis- 
couraged the friends of education, and prevented 
any efforts from being put forth in this cause, 
except some ineffectual ones in favour of district- 
schools, for upwards of twenty years; and, in- 
deed, such was the apathy manifested on this 
subject, that Methodist preachers were accused, 
not without some show of reason, of being ene- 
mies of literature and science. Though this 
was not true in its application to all concerned, 
yet it must be confessed that there was too 
much ground for the taunt against the great 
body, if we may judge of the disposition of the 
heart by the actions of the life. 

But, whatever may be conceded to this mor- 
tifying objection, for upwards of twenty years 
past the Church has evinced a disposition to 
redeem herself from the reproach, by exerting 
her energies to establish academies and colleges 
in different parts of her jurisdiction. The first 
successful effort in this cause was made in New- 
England, in 1817, by the founding of the New- 
market Academy ; the next, in the city of 
New- York, in 1819, by the establishment of the 
f 



EDUCATION. 



35 



Wesleyan Seminary. The first college which 
obtained a permanence was the Augusta Col- 
lege, located in the town of Augusta, State of 
Kentucky, in 1823. In 1831 the Wesleyan 
University was founded, and two others, namely, 
Randolph Macon and La Grange. 

The commencement of these academies and 
colleges seemed to beget a general desire, 
throughout the bounds of the several annual 
conferences, to embark in the cause of educa- 
tion ; and so widely has this desire been diffused, 
and so deeply has it descended into the heart 
of the Church, that there have been established, 
and are now in successful operation, between 
thirty and forty academies, and fourteen colle- 
giate institutions, including the North and South ; 
besides a number of other academies, which 
are so far patronized by the conferences that 
they appoint boards of visitors, and recommend 
them to the patronage of our people. Here 
then is an improvement of vast importance to 
the character, permanence, and prosperity of 
the Church. 

I am aware that there are those among us 
who look upon these literary institutions with a 
jealous eye, while others treat them with cold 
indifference, and some few, perhaps, with hos- 
tility. But I am happy to believe that the 



36 



SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS. 



great majority of the most influential, both 
among preachers and people, hail this improve- 
ment as ominous of good to the Church. I 
have indeed regretted to see this subject — the 
subject of education — treated with a sarcastic 
sneer by an aged writer, as though it was the 
offspring of pride and vanity, indicative of a de- 
generate state of the Church. It is believed, 
however, that such a sentiment has but few sym- 
pathizers, and that the prevailing spirit of the 
age, and the pious efforts of God's servants, 
will ultimately sweep away all these objections, 
and put to shame the cavilling caricatures of 
those who attempt to hold up to ridicule these 
nurseries of learning and religion. 

That God has sanctioned them, is abundantly 
manifest from the powerful revivals of religion 
which have prevailed at different times among 
the students. I presume to say that God has 
visited them as often, and as powerfully, with 
the reviving influences of his Spirit, as he has 
any other places, even the churches which are 
under the stated ministry of the word and ordi- 
nances of the Gospel. Hence, young men have 
been raised up, not only endowed with human 
learning, but also deeply imbued with the spirit 
of their divine Master, and have gone forth as 
flaming heralds of the Gospel of the Son of 



EDUCATION. 



37 



God; and from the colleges have issued men 
competent to teach in the academies, and other 
colleges, and are now acting as professors, prin- 
cipals, or presidents of other institutions of 
learning. Who, then, will dare to lift up his 
voice against these nurseries of learning and re- 
ligion ? No true son of Wesley, surely. He 
who was so much indebted for his celebrity to 
the learning he acquired at Oxford, who strove 
so assiduously to promote it among his preach- 
ers and people, (see his " Address to the Cler- 
gy,") would be ashamed to acknowledge any 
man as his genuine follower, who is an enemy to 
those institutions which are designed to diffuse 
the blessings of literature and religion among 
the youth of our land, and more especially to 
such as have been so eminently sanctioned by 
the great Head of the Church as ours have 
been. 

Now, who have founded these institutions ? 
The answer is, The Methodists have done it. 
For though some generous -minded individuals 
not connected with our Church have made 
liberal donations, and some of the States in 
which they are located have made small appro- 
priations for their support, yet the greater pro- 
portion of the money which has been received 
for this purpose has been drawn from the pockets 



38 



SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS. 



of our people. And here we see one of the 
many benefits resulting from the temporal good 
with which God has blessed them. Had they 
not embraced religion, they might have lived 
and died in poverty ; but in consequence of their 
having done so, Ipy cutting off all needless ex- 
pense, by being sober and industrious, they have 
become wealthy, and have money to spare for 
pious and benevolent purposes ; and here is an 
outlet for their surplus wealth, where they may 
bestow their goods for the benefit of themselves 
and their posterity. 

I do not say that our more wealthy friends 
have given to these institutions all that they 
might and should ; but for what they have done, 
and are doing in this important cause, they have 
our thanks : and when they shall fully feel how 
much they themselves are indebted to Methodism 
for what they are, and for what they possess, 
and more especially for those literary institutions, 
for which their bounty is solicited, they will come 
forward with liberality to place our colleges be- 
yond the danger of pecuniary embarrassments. 

In the face of these facts, who will say that 
we have made no improvement within twenty 
or thirty years past ? Those who believe that 
all this has sprung from pride and vanity, will, 
of course, mourn over it as a calamity — as an 



MISSIONARY CAUSE. 



39 



infallible mark of our degeneracy ; while those 
who believe, as I do, that it has arisen from the 
spirit of true piety, from an enlarged desire 
to do good, and to advance the present and 
eternal interests of men, will account it as an 
evidence of improvement, and bless God " for 
the consolation." 



CHAPTER V. 

The Missionary cause an evidence of improvement — Origin of 
the Missionary Society — Opposition encountered — Feebleness 
of its beginning — Gradually advanced — Finally triumphs — 
What it has achieved— All this a practical demonstration of 
improvement. 

A fourth evidence of the improvement which 
this Church has made, within twenty or thirty 
years past, is to be found in her Missionary de- 
partment. I do not mean by this that she 
lacked the missionary spirit in former days, for 
indeed her ministry was always a missionary 
ministry, always aggressive in its operations, 
making, by its energetic labours, inroads upon 
the territories of Satan. Among modern mis- 
sionaries, none equalled John Wesley, either in 
the amount, extent, or success of his ministerial 
labours. His sons in the Gospel imbibed his 
spirit, and imitated his example, preaching the 



40 



THE MISSIONARY WORK. 



Gospel of tlie kingdom, to the utmost extent of 
their abilities, to " every nation and kindred on 
the earth." It was this spirit that brought them 
to this country, and the fire which they kindled 
up here burned so intensely in the hearts of 
those missionaries and their successors, that it 
impelled them on in their work, until they 
stretched themselves over the extended settle- 
ments of this continent, visiting almost every 
city, village, and settlement, even to the remotest 
log hut in the wilderness. But still there were 
many intervening places to be filled up, many 
new settlements to be supplied, many an Indian 
tribe to be evangelized, and many a heathen 
nation to be converted to Christianity. 

Over these desolations the more pious and 
enlightened portions of the Church cast a pitying 
eye, and sent up a prayer to God for their sal- 
vation. On looking back upon the history of 
our Church, and seeing what she had done ; on 
looking forward and around, and seeing what 
was yet to be done, and considering at the same 
time her capabilities, both temporally and spi- 
ritually, of doing much more than she had done 
for the salvation of the world ; excited to action 
by a few benevolent spirits, she determined to 
put forth her energies to " extend her missionary 
labours throughout the United States and else- 



ITS RISE, 



41 



where." This gave rise to the Missionary Society 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Consider- 
ing the state of piety in the Church at that time, 
one would be surprised at the objections which 
were made, even by men of unquestionable good- 
ness, against the formation of this society — some 
impugning the motives of its originators, others 
ranking it among visionary schemes, and not a 
few lamenting over it, as calculated to weaken, 
if not indeed to sap the foundations of the itine- 
rancy. The friends of the measure, however, 
were so conscious of the purity of their motives, 
and the rectitude of their conduct, that they per- 
severed in their work, not stopping to answer 
objections, looking to God for aid and direction, 
fully believing that He would sanction, and of 
course prosper, their undertaking. 

The event has justified their anticipations. 
Never has a cause been more blessed than the 
Missionary cause. Its commencement, to be 
sure, was feeble. Though it was recognized by 
the General Conference, which convened a year 
after its formation, namely, in 1820, yet the 
amount collected the first year was only $823 04, 
and the amount expended $85 76. The next 
year there was reported as having been received 
$2,328 76, and expended $407 87. It seemed 
more difficult to expend than to collect the 



42 



THE MISSIONARY WORK. 



money, though the collections were sufficiently 
small ; so difficult indeed was it to diffuse the 
missionary spirit among the preachers and peo- 
ple, that our bishops were fearful of selecting 
and appointing missionaries, lest they should 
seem to trespass upon the funds of the Church. 
This apathy, however, did not originate from 
any want of zeal in the cause of God, nor from 
any lack of piety in the heads, or in the Church 
generally, but chiefly from too scrupulous a re- 
gard for the other interests of the Church, and 
a fear of appropriating money unconstitutionally. 
To remove these scruples, and to obviate these 
objections, I remember perfectly well that the 
Board of Managers appointed a committee to 
correspond with the bishops, the object of which 
was to induce them to appoint missionaries, and 
to draw the funds for their support. 

But the cause gradually advanced — so slowly, 
however, that from 1819 to 1832, there was a 
balance reported in the treasury each year, not- 
withstanding the greatest amount received for 
any one year was only $14,176 11. In 1832 
the Liberia Mission was commenced, and from 
that time a new spring seemed to be given to 
the Missionary cause, for the funds have gradu- 
ally increased, and the fields of labour have en- 
larged, until in 1839, when the available funds 



ITS RESULTS. 



43 



amounted to $139,521 94; and in 1840 there 
were expended $146,498 58, which I believe 
were the largest amounts ever received and ex- 
pended in any one yean 

Though after this there was a falling off, for 
a short time, it may be accounted for without 
supposing any dereliction of evangelical piety 
and zeal in the Church, as is manifest from the 
fact that latterly the spirit of liberality has ex- 
panded ; so much so, that the amount received 
in 1848, including the North and South, was 
$144,223 66, which is $4,70! 62 more than had 
been received for any previous year; which, 
though not in proportion to the increase of 
numbers and wealth, shows that the missionary 
spirit is rising among us. This, together with 
the enlargement of the missionary field, particu- 
larly in China and California, is an encouraging 
omen, and should serve as a memento of the 
goodness of God. 

Now let us see what this Society has done, 
not merely in raising money, and supporting 
men, but in awakening and converting sinners. 
I presume to say that in this latter work it has 
far outstripped every other Missionary Society 
in existence. Let any one read its history, fol- 
low its missionaries, and look at the evidences — 
most manifest and palpable evidences — of the 



14 



THE MISSIONARY WORK. 



conversion of souls, among the aborigines of our 
country, the slave population of the South, in 
the new States and Territories of the West, and 
among the Germans, as well as in Liberia and 
South America — though in this last place I grant 
but little comparatively has been done — and he 
will be convinced that God has given his sanc- 
tion to this Society in a most eminent degree. 
During the thirty- one years of its existence, 
notwithstanding its feebleness for about thirteen 
years of its infancy — though during that period 
its friends marked with pleasure its gradual 
growth, and perceived signs of health and vigour 
which promised the future strength of its man- 
hood—I presume that it has been instrumental 
of bringing upwards of 60,000 souls into the 
bosom of the Church, directly, besides its benign 
influence in its indirect action in stirring up the 
spirit of prayer, in diffusing a spirit of liberality, 
and laying a foundation for the future growth 
and prosperity of the cause of God in places 
where it first planted the Gospel, and has since 
left them to be provided for in the more regular 
way ; for it has always been the policy of this 
Society, as soon as any place became able to 
support itself, to withdraw its pecuniary aid, 
and confine itself to more new and destitute 
places. 



HOME MISSIONS. 



45 



Here is another evidence of improvement ; 
and if the missionary spirit enters into the very 
essence of the Gospel, and unfolds it in all its 
loveliness, and displays it in all its energies — as 
it undoubtedly does — then is the manifestation 
of this spirit a practical demonstration of an 
improved state of piety in the Church. Here, 
also, is another outlet for the surplus wealth of 
our people, in the application of which they may 
make it tell on the eternal destinies of immortal 
beings. Instead of hoarding it up for those who 
may come after them — and they know not 
whether they shall be wise men or fools — let 
them deposit it, at least a suitable proportion of 
it, in this treasury of the Lord, and when he 
shall come in judgment, he will reward them 
accordingly. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Home missions— Their blessed effects— Other benevolent move- 
ments—Increased number of books another evidence of im= 
provement — Origin of the Book- Concern — Its feebleness — La- 
bours under a heavy debt — No American writers — Its income 
small— Its present prosperous state— This institution has been 
sustained by Methodists. 

In addition to the general field of missionary 
labour, the Home Missions ought not to be 
overlooked, These have sprung up within six 



46 



PROOFS OF PROGRESS. 



or seven years past, and have exerted a power- 
ful and salutary influence wherever they have 
operated. I know not, indeed, how many of 
these exist ; but I know they have one in Balti- 
more, another in New- York, and another in 
Brooklyn, and perhaps also in some other places. 
They have been instrumental in enlarging the 
work in the destitute portions of the cities, and 
have built several new churches. The one in 
the city of Brooklyn, which was commenced in 
1847, has built one new church, and paid for it, 
enlarged another, and has been instrumental in 
bringing between one and two hundred sinners 
from darkness to light. This has been effected 
chiefly by Christian women, belonging to the 
Methodist Episcopal Church in that city; and 
all this has been done by the several churches, 
in addition to the support of the stationed 
preachers, and contributing their proportion to 
the general missionary cause, and other inci- 
dental expenses of the Church. And had I the 
statistics of the other Home Missionary Societies, 
I have no doubt but that I could state a like 
encouraging result. Is this no improvement? 
no evidence of an increase of pious zeal in the 
cause of God ? Let those who look on with 
cold indifference, and consume themselves in 
complaining of the degeneracy of the age, and 



HOME MISSIONS. 



41 



whine over the desolations of the Church, arouse 
themselves from their lethargy, enter into the 
spirit and practice of this holy cause, and they 
will soon see a different state of things, and find 
their own hearts warming with love to God 
and the souls of men ; and likewise feel a glow- 
ing gratitude to God for what he has done, and 
is still doing, for the souls and bodies of man- 
kind. 

There are various other benevolent movements 
which might be mentioned, some of which have 
been in existence from the beginning of the 
Church ; such as love-feasts, and sacramental 
collections for the poor ; others have been formed 
more recently, and are therefore evidence of an 
improvement ; such as associations in individual 
churches for visiting the sick, providing food and 
clothing for the needy : all of which are the 
genuine fruits of that expansive benevolence 
which the Gospel inspires in the hearts of all 
true believers. These, however, are only men- 
tioned by the way, not, indeed, because they are 
insignificant in themselves — for they are the 
genuine offspring of that religion which Jesus 
Christ imparts to all his followers — but because 
they do not belong so generally to the whole 
Church. 

The next thing I would bring forward more 



48 



PROOFS OF PROGRESS. 



prominently, as an evidence of intellectual im- 
provement, is the increased number of our pub- 
lications. We commenced our Book-Concern 
as early as 1789 ; its beginning was small, and 
its progress exceedingly slow. This, to be sure, 
might have been expected, from the infancy of 
the Church, and the want of capital to set up 
with — of facilities for printing and circulating 
books. Yet these circumstances could not jus- 
tify the apathy on this subject ; for so little zeal 
was displayed in favour of printing and circu- 
lating books, that in the year 1813, there were 
only twenty-four different publications on sale at 
the Book-Room ; and one of these, Coke's Com- 
mentary, was imported from England. Leaving 
this out of the account, a copy of each work 
published might be purchased for $29 Is ; and 
among these were but three American publica- 
tions, namely, Abbott's and Watters' Life, and 
the Scriptural Catechism. All the rest were 
reprints of books manufactured in England. And 
such was the lack of zeal in this cause, that 
though the General Conference, in 1812, in the 
midst of opposition from several delegates — for 
I distinctly remember all these things — ordered 
a resumption of the Magazine, and appointed 
committees to collect materials for a history of 
our Church, yet nothing was done in either one 



PUBLICATIONS. 



49 



case or the other. No Magazine was published 
until two years after the next General Confer- 
ence, in 1816, nor any materials collected for a 
history. And such was the languishing state 
of this Concern, that it was in danger of sinking 
under its own weight ; no new publications of 
any consequence were added ; but only the same 
books were reprinted, so that its debts were 
accumulating, without any adequate means to 
liquidate them ; and it would, in all probability, 
have become bankrupt, and have gone down, to 
the disgrace of the Church, had not new means 
been used to invigorate its energies, and to ex- 
pand its capacities. This was done by adding 
to the list of its publications, by resuming the 
Magazine, by purchasing Clarke's Commentary, 
by setting up a bindery and printing-office, 
bv altering the plan of selling the books, and by 
establishing weekly periodicals ; and, finally, by 
enlisting the talents of our preachers in the art 
of writing for the public. 

During the dark days I have been reviewing, 
we had scarcely a single writer on this side of 
the water, who dared to put his pen to paper. 
Excepting the Scriptural Catechism by the 
Rev. John Dickens — a most estimable man — 
Garrettson's, Abbott's, and Watters' Lives, and 
a few pieces which had appeared in the Armi- 
4 



50 



PROOFS OF PROGRESS. 



man Magazine in 1789 and 1790, not an Ameri- 
can publication appeared, unless now and then 
a straggling pamphlet, which hardly breathed the 
breath of life, and the most of which, as Hume 
said of one of his Essays, " fell still-born from 
the press.'' This was the general state of things 
for about thirty years, namely, from 1789 to 
1818, when new life began to be infused into 
our press, and it has been gradually growing 
and improving from that day to this. 

During these periods, though for the most of 
the time there were but seven annual conferences, 
the Book-Concern never paid over $300 a year 
to each conference, and sometimes not over 
$150, and even this came out of borrowed 
money ; for, as I have before said, the Concern 
was so deeply in debt, though it was not gene- 
rally known at the time, that it was in danger 
of sinking under its own weight, as it indeed 
commenced its business on borrowed capital. 
Those who now manage its affairs know but little 
of the difficulties with which it had to contend, 
particularly from 1812 to 1824, during all which 
time it was struggling for its existence, though 
during the latter part of the time it was adopting 
measures which its managers were fully confident 
would ultimately put it upon a permanent foun- 
dation, which indeed proved to be the fact. 



THE BOOK-CONCERN. 



51 



What is its present state ? On looking over 
its catalogue of books, I find, if I have counted 
accurately, no less than 236 different publica- 
tions, small and great, among which are Clarke's, 
Benson's, Wesley's, and Watson's Commenta- 
ries, Bibles and Testaments, and almost every 
species of literature, on theological, historical, 
and biographical subjects, as well as experi- 
mental and practical piety. To furnish one's 
self with a copy of each of these will cost, at 
the retail price, between $200 and $300. Now 
compare this with the publications in 1813, 
when there were only 23 several books, the cost 
of a copy of each of which was only about $29, 
and then reflect that the average price is nearly 
one-half less now than then. Are here no 
signs of improvement ? 

In addition to these, look at the list of Tracts, 
amounting to upwards of 360, of from 4 to 60 
pages each, besides a Sunday-school library, 
and books for Sunday-school scholars. There 
are also published, including the North and 
South, two Quarterly Reviews, one monthly, 
seven weekly papers, a Sunday-School Advo- 
cate, and a Missionary Advocate ; and as to 
writers, there is no comparison between the 
present and former periods of the Church. 

But has it increased in its available funds ? It 



52 



PROOFS OF PROGRESS. 



has. After liquidating all its debts, purchasing 
lots, erecting buildings, &c. ; and notwithstand- 
ing the conferences have increased from seven to 
twenty-eight, excluding the Southern portion, 
but, including that, to forty-one, it paid, in 1848, 
$400 to each, making an aggregate of $9,200 
for the twenty-eight conferences, or of $16,400 
for the forty-one ; whereas, in the former days, 
when it paid $300 to each conference, when 
there were but seven, the whole amount was 
$2,100 ; or when it paid only $150, as it some- 
times did, it amounted to no more than $1,050. 

Now who have sustained this institution? 
The answer is, The Methodists have done it. I 
think therefore that here is substantial evidence 
of improvement, such an improvement as ought 
to fill our hearts with gratitude to God, and 
make us praise him for all his benefits. 



DOCTRINE. 



68 



CHAPTER VII. 

Examination of doctrine— In what Methodism consists— Its pe- 
culiarities— Sanctification — Mr. Wesley's views of this doc- 
trine — This doctrine continues to be preached — There is there- 
fore no deterioration here. 

We have hitherto surveyed the Church in her 
external features, counted her numbers, esti- 
mated the value, so far as we were able, of her 
improvements in temporal and intellectual ac- 
quirements ; and if I have not, actuated by too 
strong a bias in her favour, very much mistaken 
her present condition, she is greatly improved 
in these respects. That she has rapidly in- 
creased in numbers, notwithstanding the diminu- 
tion in 1845, 1846, and 1847, is unquestionable. 
But this of itself, I allow, is no proof of an in- 
crease of spiritual strength, nor, consequently, 
of real piety ; for were we as numerous as the 
sands upon the sea-shore, yet, destitute of solid 
piety, we should be none the better, nor could 
we furnish any substantial evidence that God 
sanctions our labours. Dismissing, therefore, 
these calculations, let us inquire whether there 
be any evidence of a deterioration in doctrine, 
or in experimental and practical piety ? That 
we may judge accurately upon this subject, it is 
necessary to ascertain what those doctrines are 



54 DOCTRINES OF METHODISM. 

which were first promulgated by Mr. Wesley 
and his followers, and what is the standard or 
measure of experimental and practical piety by 
which they were distinguished. In surveying 
these, however, we need not dwell upon those 
which are common among all orthodox Chris- 
tians — such as, the being and existence of God ; 
the primeval perfection of the universe ; the 
original purity of man, his fall, and consequent 
depravity of himself and of his offspring ; the 
Deity, incarnation, and atonement of Christ ; 
the necessity of repentance ; justification by 
grace through faith in Jesus Christ ; the resur- 
rection of the dead ; the final judgment, and its 
momentous consequences. These great cardi- 
nal truths of God our Saviour are common to 
all orthodox Christians, and therefore contain 
nothing to distinguish us from them, or to dis- 
tinguish one denomination from another. Nor 
will I say, as a writer has recently said, that 
" Methodism is religion without philosophy," (see 
Appendix, No. 1,) lest I should seem to in- 
sinuate, either that true religion and philosophy 
cannot coexist, or that religion was always poi- 
soned by philosophy until Methodism arose to 
separate the foreign and poisonous admixture 
therefrom, and thus present the pure, unadul- 
terated balm to the wounded souls of sinners ; 



PECULIAR. 



55 



either of which alternatives would be unbe- 
coming a sound divine, or a consistent philo- 
sopher. 

By Methodism I understand those peculia- 
rities of the system by which it is distinguished 
from all other isms ; hence it not only includes 
the doctrines above enumerated, by which it 
proves its orthodoxy, but it brings out more 
prominently than is done by other denomina- 
tions, and that, as it believes, on the authority 
of God's word, that of Christian perfection, or 
the entire sanctification of the whole man to 
God, or holiness of heart and life ; and that this 
holiness is evinced by a uniform obedience to 
the commands of God. It holds to the danger- 
ous possibility of apostatizing from the grace of 
life, and hence urges upon all its disciples the 
necessity, that they may inherit eternal happi- 
ness, of persevering in every good word and 
work to the end of their probationary existence. 
And that these doctrines may have as diffusive 
a spread as possible, it has adopted an itinerant 
ministry, hereby imitating the apostolic exam- 
ple of preaching the Gospel to " every creature" 
within its reach : with various other peculiar- 
ities, such as class-meetings, love-feasts, &c, for 
all of which we are ready, when called upon, to 
give a Scriptural reason. And I know not but 



56 



METHODIST DOCTRINES. 



that I should add, the doctrine of the direct 
witness, and its inseparable results — the fruits 
of the Spirit ; as these, however closely they 
may be incorporated in their Articles of Faith, 
and alluded to in then- formularies of devotion, 
are not insisted upon by other denominations, as 
they should be, in their public instructions, or 
in the inculcations of the pulpit. 

When Mr. Wesley first set out in his Chris- 
tian career, he made holiness the mark at which 
he aimed, though he did not then clearly com- 
prehend its nature; but very soon, his eyes 
being enlightened, he saw that a sinner must be 
justified by grace through faith before he is 
sanctified. He accordingly sought and found 
justification, and then pursued after sanetifica- 
tion or holiness, both internal and external, with 
all his might, until he found the one to the joy 
of his heart, and exemplified the other by the 
righteousness of his life, by u keeping the com- 
mandments of God" to the end of his protracted 
and most laborious days. And never did the 
pen of Wesley touch upon any subject which it 
illuminated more clearly, or explained more 
definitely, explicitly, Scripturally, experimen- 
tally, and practically, than it did the doctrine 
of Christian perfection. To be convinced of 
this, let any man, who has a tolerable know- 



SANCTIFICATION. 



ledge of the subject, or sincerely wishes an ac- 
curate knowledge of it, read attentively his ser- 
mons, " On Sin in Believers,'' " The Repentance 
of Believers," " The Great Privilege of those 
that are Born of God," " On Christian Perfec- 
tion," and more especially his " Plain Account 
of Christian Perfection," and compare them 
with the Sacred Scriptures, and he need go no 
further for light and information, only to God 
in earnest prayer, that his own heart may be 
warmed and sanctified by this hallowed flame 
of Divine love. 

Indeed, I consider his "Plain Account of 
Christian Perfection" the most masterly pro- 
duction upon that subject which ever dropped 
from an uninspired pen : stating its nature and 
extent ; defining it with nicety and precision ; 
and pointing out the way to attain it ; its evi- 
dence and fruits, and those infirmities with which 
it may coexist ; in language plain, explicit, and 
every way suited to the capacity of every reader. 
I do not wish to undervalue others who have 
written upon this subject. They all may have 
their use in attracting attention to it, in inducing 
penitent believers to seek after it, and in placing 
it in somewhat new aspects before the reader's 
understanding ; but their twinkling light disap- 
pears before that brighter luminary, as the stars 



58 



METHODIST DOCTRINES, 



hide themselves when the orb of day mounts 
the horizon. 

The reader will pardon, I trust, this seeming 
digression from the main topic on which I am 
writing, for I could hardly refrain from paying 
a merited tribute to an author who has shed 
such a flood of light upon a subject so impor- 
tant, so deeply experimental and practical, and 
so intimately, and perhaps I might say indisso- 
lubly, connected with the present peace and 
future happiness of mankind. " Great peace 
have they that love thy law, and nothing shall 
offend theni," or be an occasion of their stum- 
bling. " Without holiness no man shall see the 
Lord." "Blessed are the pure in heart, for 
they shall see God." These texts of sacred 
Scripture are quoted to sustain what I had as- 
serted, namely, that the subject of holiness is 
intimately connected with our present peace 
and future happiness. The first pronounces pre- 
sent peace to those who love, and, of course, 
keep the law ; the second and third show what 
is necessary to fit us to see the face of God in 
glory everlasting, namely, holiness or purity of 
heart. 

Now, have the Methodist preachers ceased 
to preach this doctrine, and to urge it upon 
their people as an experimental and practical 



SANCTIFICATION. 



• 

59 



thing ? I know that they always, from the be- 
ginning of their ministry, held it prominently 
before their hearers, not only as a privilege, 
but as a duty, to be " holy in all manner of con- 
versation." But did they all profess to enjoy 
it ? They did not : nor did the members of the 
Church. Some did, both among preachers and 
people ; but I believe a majority did not. Many 
of the preachers preached it more as a theory, 
than as something which they knew from their 
own experience ; while all, who were rightly in- 
structed, and were sincere believers in its attain- 
ableness, professed to be " groaning after it." 
This, I believe, has been the general state of 
the Church from the beginning, though there 
were " times and seasons," when this work of 
holiness was more prevalent than at others. I 
may be under a mistake, but I have thought, 
and I have drawn my conclusion from reading, and 
conversation, and attending meetings in various 
places, that this subject has very considerably 
revived within six or seven years past ; and that 
a more than usual number have sought and 
found the blessing of " perfect love." I know, 
indeed, that there are some crude, unscriptural, 
anti-Wesleyan notions prevalent on this topic ; 
but I know equally well that there are many, 
and I believe their numbers are increasing, 



60 



METHODIST DOCTRINES. 



deeply devoted souls, both male and female, 
both among preachers and people, who give 
evidence of holiness of heart by the holiness of 
their lives. 

I allow that this great and invaluable bless- 
ing is not pressed upon the people so generally 
and so earnestly as its importance demands ; 
but this is not peculiar to the present time. 
This lack in the ministry and the membership 
was always a defect painfully manifest. To be 
convinced of this, read the works of Wesley, 
the biographies of the older Methodists, and 
consult those aged professors now living who 
can remember the former days, and I believe 
they will all corroborate the truth of my state- 
ment. There is, therefore, I apprehend, no 
falling off here, no abatement of zeal in the 
cause of holiness ; but, as I think, at least in 
some sections of the Church, an increase of holy 
love, and a more urgent inquiry waked up on 
this very subject. 

Let us, therefore, give God the glory for what 
he is still doing for the sons of men, and " be 
strong in the Lord of Hosts, and in the power 
of his might." 



OLD-FASHIONED METHODISM. 61 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Old-fashioned Methodism — In what it consists— Distinction be- 
tween its vital principles and circumstantial parts — The first 
never change — The second may or may not be, though neces- 
sary to its growth — Divine call of its ministry — This essential 
— Circumstantials contribute much to its success — In these 
there is a manifest improvement. 

If I have not very much miscalculated the com- 
parative state of this Church, I think I have so 
far succeeded in proving that, instead of de- 
generating from its primitive purity, it has much 
improved in its general character, as well as in 
its means and capabilities of doing good ; and 
that it has actually put forth its energies, in 
various ways, to advance the cause of Jesus 
Christ. This leads me to notice another feature 
in Methodism. 

Some ignorant enthusiasts, whenever anything 
new is introduced, have a very short, but, in 
their estimation, an irresistible argument against 
it, and that is, "This is not old-fashioned Me- 
thodism." If you ask these persons what " old- 
fashioned Methodism" is, perhaps they are at a 
loss for an answer. What I understand by Me- 
thodism, whether old-fashioned or new-fashioned, 
is this : — 

That it lays hold of, and holds fast to, those 
cardinal doctrines of the Gospel, enumerated in 



62 



OLD-FASHIONED METHODISM. 



the preceding chapter, and then applies itself 
with all its might to propagate them far and 
near, embracing every opening of Divine Pro- 
vidence, and taking advantage of every new 
development in the administration of the world, 
using all the appliances within its grasp, to 
advance the cause of Christ. 

Understanding it in this sense, we must dis- 
tinguish between the vital principles of Method- 
ism, and its circumstantial parts, or its external 
features. The former are essential to its exist- 
ence, because they are vital, — the latter may or 
may not be, because they are mere circumstan- 
ces, though for the time being they may be 
necessary to its growth and expansion. 

To explain myself more particularly upon this 
head : — By the vital principles of Methodism, I 
understand those doctrines of the Gospel which 
embrace the Deity, the fall of man, the redemp- 
tion of the world by Jesus Christ, repentance, 
faith, justification, and sanctification, and all 
those doctrines by which we are distinguished 
from other denominations. By its circumstan- 
tial parts, those prudential regulations and ap- 
pliances for doing good which have grown out 
of the improvements of the age, the progress of 
society, and the demands which these things 
make upon us. 



ITS VITAL PRINCIPLES. 



63 



These vital principles must never be changed, 
whatever changes may take place in human 
society. No new developments of events, no 
mutations in the affairs of men, nor any im- 
provements of the age, must be allowed to make 
any innovation upon the cardinal doctrines of 
Christ, all of which Methodism holds fast. If, 
for instance, we were to relinquish the doctrine 
of the atonement, as generally understood by 
orthodox Christians, or that of justification by 
grace through faith, sanctification, the possi- 
bility of falling from grace, the witness and 
fruits of the Spirit ; or were we to break up the 
itinerancy, or lay aside class-meetings, or cease 
to hold love-feasts, we should no longer be Me- 
thodists, because these doctrines form our vital 
principles, and these usages form those pecu- 
liarities by which we are distinguished from all 
other denominations, and in the use of which 
our success, by the blessing of God, has mainly 
resulted. And that which has given life and 
energy to the whole system, is not only the 
fact that these doctrines have been held and 
propagated, but that they have been held and 
propagated by men that professed to have, and 
indeed actually had, an experimental knowledge 
of them, so that whenever they spoke, they 
spoke of the things which they " had felt and 



64 



OLD-FASHIONED METHODISM. 



seen ;" — they said, and their lives demonstrated 
that they said the truth, that those truths had 
been sealed upon their consciences by the Holy 
Spirit. Hence they spoke, " not in the words 
of man's wisdom," but " in the demonstration 
of the Spirit and power," "with much assu- 
rance in the Holy Ghost." All those things are 
so essential to the existence and vitality of Me- 
thodism, that, were any of them to be laid aside, 
or used as mere forms, the system would be 
marred. Were the Methodist ministry, for in- 
stance, to cease to experience the life-giving 
principle of an active faith, and no longer insist 
upon the necessity of an inward call to their 
work by the Holy Ghost, and to preach under 
the influence of that Holy Spirit, urging upon 
the people the necessity of the witness and fruits 
of the Spirit, because they themselves have been 
made partakers of these things, however ortho- 
dox they might be in other respects, they would 
cease to be Methodist preachers, would have 
sunk into mere formalism, having the "letter 
which killeth," but destitute of the "Spirit 
which giveth life." 

I wish to be emphatic upon this subject, 
more especially because I consider it one of the 
most vital principles in Methodism. Whatever 
improvements we may make, however learned, 



ITS VITAL PRINCIPLES. 65 

refined, and orthodox in our general creed, deep 
and profound in our researches, eloquent and 
pathetic in our addresses, systematic in our ser- 
mons, unless the whole be accompanied by the 
internal energies of the Holy Spirit, and we have 
such an experimental knowledge of justification 
and sanctification — or, at least, so far a know- 
ledge of the latter as to be earnestly seeking 
after it, — and they that thus seek shall soon 
find — we shall be nothing more than " a sound- 
ing brass and a tinkling cymbal. " This has been 
the boast — if I may be allowed that heretical 
expression — of the Methodist ministry from the 
beginning. It was this holy panoply with which 
Mr. Wesley was armed. And it has been the 
secret of the astonishing success of his ministers 
in the awakening and conversion of sinners. If, 
therefore, they ever lay it aside, as a part of 
" old-fashioned Methodism," and substitute in 
its place the tinsel of human embellishments, — 
if they cease living by faith in the Son of God," 
and substitute for this living faith the chaff of 
outward forms and ceremonies, — if they substi- 
tute human philosophy for the " pure word of 
God," and theory for experience and practice, — 
if they so far lose sight of their high and holy 
calling as to seek their own fame, ease, or self- 
aggrandizement, instead of the glory of God in 
5 



66 OLD-FASHIONED METHODISM. 

the salvation of souls, — if they substitute wit 
and sarcasm, and the tinsel of human oratory, 
for the " words of truth and soberness/' — if they 
descend to personal recriminations resulting from 
envy and jealousy, instead of cultivating the 
mutual respect and good-will which flow from 
brotherly love, — then shall God write "Ichabod" 
upon all our borders, for the " glory" will have 
" departed from us," because one of the most 
vital principles of Methodism will have been 
abandoned. 

It is equally necessary that the whole Church 
should be deeply imbued with these same prin- 
ciples. This is what I understand by " Old- 
fashioned Methodism." Nor do I desire to see 
anything substituted in its place. 

Now for the circumstantials of Methodism. 
Time was when we had no ordinances; yet 
Methodism existed without them, only so far as 
its disciples received them from the hands of 
ministers of other denominations. They were 
provided at the organization of the Church in 
1784 ; and though I doubt not but this circum- 
stance has been greatly beneficial in enabling us 
to diffuse the blessings of the Gospel, yet facts 
prove that we could have existed without them. 
Since then a Book-Concern, the establishment 
of academies and colleges, the Missionary So- 



ITS CIRCUMSTANTIAL FEATURES. 6t 

ciety, Sunday-schools, and various charitable in- 
stitutions — besides the Bible cause, and the Co- 
lonization Society, into which we have entered 
in conjunction with other denominations — have 
been added as useful adjuncts to the main cause. 

Now, though these things are not essential to 
the existence of Methodism, they are great helps 
in developing its principles, in diffusing its spirit, 
and in extending its influence far and wide, 
among all orders and ranks of men; and although, 
if they were laid aside, we might still exist, and 
perhaps retain our vital principles ; yet, I appre- 
hend, Methodism would be greatly circumscribed 
in its usefulness ; as, without them, we certainly 
never could have obtained that commanding in- 
fluence, and taken that elevated stand which we 
now hold in the community ; and hence, were 
we to lop off these flourishing branches from 
the living tree, it would no longer afford that 
broad shelter to the weary sons of men which 
it now does, and promises yet more extensively 
to do. 

These are the branches, living and flourishing, 
that have grown from the main stock ; which, 
by their thrift, show that the vital energies of 
the original trunk are by no means exhausted. 
So long, therefore, as this living tree shall re- 
main grounded and rooted in the rich soil in 



68 OLD-FASHIONED METHODISM. 



which it was first planted, being continually 
watered with the " dew of heaven," it shall con- 
tinue to feed and nourish these living branches ; 
and likewise be sufficiently vigorous to send forth 
others, which the progress of events, and the 
improvements and wants of the age, may dictate 
to be necessary or expedient. 

By " old-fashioned Methodism," then, we 
are to understand that system of doctrine and 
discipline by which we have all along been distin- 
guished ; in the mean time adapting itself to the 
state of society, and the progress of events, so 
as to take advantage of every new opening of 
divine Providence, which may call for the inter- 
vention of auxiliary helps and fresh appliances 
for extending the Redeemer's kingdom among 
men. 

Now, has not Methodism improved in this 
respect? And has it not entered — and that 
with energy and success— into every open door, 
by adding the missionary, educational, and other 
benevolent institutions, as branches to the ori- 
ginal stock ? And has it not shown, and does it 
not continue to show, that, deriving all its power 
of doing good from the great Head of the 
Church ; and receiving from that supreme 
Fountain of life unceasing supplies of grace and 
truth ; it sends forth to every limb and branch 



ITS IMPROVEMENT. 



69 



sap and nourishment, to feed and strengthen 
them, so that their " leaves are always green ?" 
I do not say that it has done all this as vigor- 
ously and faithfully as it ought and might have 
done, had all its sons and daughters, and espe- 
cially its ministers, acted up to their high and 
holy calling with a diligence proportionate to 
their distinguished privileges, and their conse- 
quent high responsibilities. 

But while a retrospect of the past ought to 
inspire us with gratitude to God, for what he 
has done by our feeble instrumentality, a pros- 
pect of the future should stimulate us to in- 
creased activity in the important cause in which 
we are engaged. The first will exclude all 
needless complaining and captious fault-finding ; 
and the second will remove all distrust in the 
goodness of God, and all gloomy apprehensions, 
or doubtful forebodings, of what is yet to come ; 
while a knowledge of what is now passing 
around us, will fill us with humble adoration of 
Him who is the "Author of every good and 
perfect gift." 



?0 MODIFICATIONS OF THE ITINERANCY. 



CHAPTER IX. 

Want of success no evidence of a destitution of holiness, or of 
a Divine call — Defects always apparent — Modification of the 
itinerancy beneficial — Proved from a comparison of the former 
and present state of the old Rhinebeck district — Advantages 
of stations and small circuits. 

Though I believe the work of holiness is ad- 
vancing among us as a people, I doubt not but 
that in particular places there is a declension, 
owing, perhaps, to unfaithfulness or unskilful- 
ness in the ministry, or to other causes too re- 
condite for the human mind to fathom, or too 
mighty for man, or even for a divine Hand, to 
control, without destroying human liberty. 
Let it be remembered that a minister's holiness, 
or fidelity, or skilfulness, is not to be measured 
by his success. In one place it is said that even 
Jesus Christ could " do no mighty works, be- 
cause of their unbelief." And if unbelief was 
so potent as to resist the power of omnipotence, 
when wielded by the God-man himself, are we 
to expect that it will always yield to the force 
of truth, though this truth may be wielded by 
the hand of a man as holy as Enoch, or Noah, 
or St. Paul, or any other holy man of God ? 
" Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but it is 
God that giveth the increase." Though it must 



DEFECTS NEVER WANTING. Vl 

be admitted that God does not call and send 
forth an ungodly man into the work of the 
ministry, yet many a godly minister has been 
led to adopt the language of the prophet, " I 
have laboured in vain, and spent my strength 
for naught." 

These things being conceded in favour of 
those who contend that Methodism has de- 
clined in some places, and of those who labour 
without any visible effect, I would ask, In what 
period of the Church have not these sad effects 
appeared? Those who doubt this have been 
very inattentive to the history of events. I can 
remember, in the early days of my ministry, 
when whole societies were nearly broken up, 
and scattered abroad, through perhaps the mis- 
conduct of a preacher, or the obstinacy of some 
of the members ; and these difficulties were al- 
ways occurring, more or less, in particular places, 
while the great body of the Church, in her 
collective capacity, remained sound and healthy, 
and accordingly put forth her energies for the 
promotion of the cause of God. Those who 
look for such a perfection in the Church as 
shall exclude these defects, calculate too highly 
upon human nature, and do not make sufficient 
allowance for human infirmities, mixed indeed 
with the remains of hereditary depravity, as it 



72 MODIFICATIONS OF THE ITINERANCY. 

is found in every Christian not yet entirely 
sanctified to God. 

After all, it is contended by some, as an evi- 
dence of our declension, that our circuits are 
shortened, and cut up into stations, and that 
thus the labour of the ministry is abridged, and, 
of course, its usefulness curtailed. The fact is' 
allowed, while the consequence is denied. On 
the contrary, I co c ntend that this very fact is an 
evidence of our improvement. I hope I may 
not be accused of egotism, by relating the fol- 
lowing facts from my own experience : — 

Under the joint superintendency of Bishops 
Asbury and M'Kendree, I was appointed, in 
1813, to the Rhinebeck District, which then 
comprehended what are now Poughkeepsie, 
Rhinebeck, New-Haven, and Hartford districts, 
in all of which there was but one single station, 
and that so feeble as scarcely to show signs of 
life. After going around the district once or 
twice, I said to the preachers, " You might as 
well go home and go to sleep, as to preach in 
the manner you do, so far as building up Me- 
thodism is concerned. You may indeed be in- 
strumental in the awakening and conversion of 
sinners ; but while you preach once in two 
weeks in a place on week-days and Sabbaths, 
and are absent from your appointments all the 



ATTENDED WITH GOOD EFFECTS. *73 

rest of your time, though sinners may be 
awakened, yet, during your absence, other de- 
nominations, who have their stated ministra- 
tions every Sabbath, and whose ministers are 
constantly among the people, will gather the 
principal part of them into their churches, and 
thus you lose all your labour, so far as the Me- 
thodist Episcopal Church is concerned." " What 
shall we do ?" it was asked. I answered, " We 
must go to work and build meeting-houses, and 
have a preacher stationed in every city and con- 
siderable village in the country, in order to es- 
tablish Methodism. " In this they generally 
acquiesced. But how we were to accomplish 
it, was the grand question. We had, to be 
sure, small, feeble societies scattered through 
the country, some of them more numerous than 
others, but none of them were able to support a 
preacher, and but few to build a church, while 
many of these societies were so small and in- 
significant that they had not courage to lift up 
their heads in the community. And this was 
the case generally in these northerly regions, 
particularly in the New-England States. 

Well, we made a beginning, as well as we 
could. Not much indeed was done during the 
four years that I remained on the district. I 
endeavoured, however, by conversation and 



74 MODIFICATIONS OF THE ITINERANCY. 

preaching, to diffuse the spirit which I felt ought 
to pervade the societies, and to convince all, 
both preachers and people, that our plan of 
preaching must be modified in the manner above 
specified. A foundation was thus laid, and it 
has been gradually built upon from that day to 
this. What has been the result ? In that re- 
gion of country, such have been the blessed 
effects of this plan and these labours, that in- 
stead of one district we now have four ; instead 
of twenty-five preachers, the number employed 
in 1817, the year I left it, we have one hundred 
and twenty-nine ; and instead of 4,7 18 mem- 
bers of the Church, the number returned on the 
Minutes for 1817, we now have 18,142; and 
instead of being compelled to preach in private 
houses, school-houses, and barns, as we were in 
those days — for there were but very few churches, 
and those so small, and located in such obscure 
places, as hardly to be known, and many of 
them but half finished — we have now commo- 
dious churches erected and neatly finished in 
every city, and in almost every village and con- 
siderable settlement throughout the country. 
And I verily believe that if we had gone on in 
our old method of four and six weeks circuits, 
preaching only once in two weeks in a place, 
our labours would have been comparatively 



ATTENDED WITH ADVANTAGES. *75 

"in vain," and we, of course, should never have 
seen the benign results above recorded. 

I presume to say that similar results have 
been witnessed all over the country, where 
similar means have been used. The fact is, a 
competent preacher stationed in one place, if as 
diligent as he ought and may be, will soon fa- 
miliarize himself with his people ; can visit the 
sick, the delinquents, and incite them forward 
in the discharge of duty ; bury the dead, per- 
form the marriage ceremony, meet the classes, 
attend prayer-meetings, and perform all other 
pastoral duties, and then have time enough for 
study, — for whenever I hear a minister say that 
he has no time for study, or for the discharge 
of any other indispensable duty, I take it for 
granted that he is either indolent, or knows not 
how to economize his time. 

Now these are the advantages arising from 
changing the old circuit system into stations, as 
the above statistical facts abundantly demon- 
strate, and to the truth of which those of us 
who can remember our former days of feeble- 
ness, and compare them with our present strength, 
can bear ample testimony. Indeed, the great 
revival of religion and consequent increase of 
membership in 1843 and 1844, have occurred 
since this modification of the itinerancy had been 



76 MODIFICATIONS OF THE ITINERANCY. 



introduced, and affords another proof of the 
practical benefits resulting from it. Our old 
plan of extending over so large a surface — which, 
under the circumstances, might have been the 
best for the time being, as our preachers were 
few in number, and we had no societies only as 
we succeeded in forming them — was ill calcu- 
lated to build up churches and establish con- 
gregations, whatever might have been its effects 
in arousing the slumbering multitude to the 
concerns of eternity ; but as the population in- 
creased, the societies and their numbers multi- 
plied, additional preachers became necessary, 
ministerial labour more urgent, and the calls 
for pastoral oversight more frequent and con- 
stant. 

The present system, therefore, of a more con- 
tracted sphere of labour, is the natural result of 
the improved state of society, of the greater 
populousness and compactness of the villages 
and settlements. As to the larger cities, they 
were always considered as being of sufficient 
importance to demand the presence of stationed 
ministers. We might therefore as well wish 
that our thickly settled parts of the country, 
and our populous cities and villages, should re- 
vert to their former wilderness state, with only 
here and there a log hut, as to desire that our 



ENGLISH AND AMERICAN METHODISM. ff 

present short circuits, numerous and flourishing 
stations, and comparatively contracted districts, 
should relapse into their former enlarged condi- 
tion ; for the one would no more militate against 
the advance of agricultural, mechanical, mer- 
cantile, and professional prosperity and the bless- 
ings of civilization, than the other would be in- 
jurious to the growth, compactness, and conse- 
quently the prosperity of the Church of God. 

Allowing the views above expressed to be 
accurate, as I fully believe they are, then here 
is another evidence of improvement. The very 
fact, therefore, that we have so far modified our 
itinerant system, that we may bestow more la- 
bour on any given place, instead of being an 
evidence of deterioration, is found to be a proof 
of directly the reverse. 



CHAPTER X. 

Comparison between American and English Methodism — We 
greatly outnumber them — The cause of this — Apology for 
the comparison— Respect of the Author for his English bre- 
thren — The objection taken from them has no foundation in 
reality — In finances they exceed us — Our deficiency unneces- 
sary—A remedy proposed. 

Still it may be said by some, that our method 
of cutting up the circuits is not the best, inas- 
much as our English brethren do not do the 



78 ENGLISH AND AMERICAN METHODISM. 



like. Their example is often quoted to prove 
the inutility of the measure. 

This objection, however, allowing its truth, 
so far from militating against the modification of 
the itinerancy for which I contend, is an argu- 
ment in its favour, as the following facts will 
demonstrate. Notwithstanding Methodism had 
been in operation for about thirty years in Great 
Britain before it commenced its leavening effects 
in America, it does not, even now, number half 
the members in its communion that we do. The 
numbers in the societies in the Wesleyan Me- 
thodist Connexion, including all their missions, 
and those in the Canada Conference — the latter 
of which, by the by, were raised up principally 
through our instrumentality — are 483,296, and 
the preachers, 1,903 ; whereas, we enumerate, 
including the North and South, 1,114,509 mem- 
bers, and 5,243 travelling preachers. Look at 
the difference. 

Members. T. Pr. 

Number in the United States and Territo- 
ries, and on the Missions 1,114,509 9,138 

Xumber in Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, 

and Missionary Stations 494,274 1,903 

620,230 3,340 

giving more than double the number of both 
preachers and people to the American branch. 
Now there must be some adequate cause for 



COMPARED. 



79 



this great disparity in the success of the minis- 
try in these two departments of the same 
Church. It cannot be in the density of the 
population, for they are not only more nume- 
rous than we are, but they are confined to a 
surface of country not one-thirtieth part as large 
as that over which our population extends ; so 
that they can preach to a given number of peo- 
ple in a much smaller space than we can, and, 
of course, with a proportionally less degree of 
physical labour. Neither can it be for lack of 
talent in the British ministry, as they certainly 
embody in the itinerancy men of eminent en- 
dowments and acquirements, fully equal, if, in- 
deed, not superior to any that we possess. It 
is true that, with all these superior advantages, 
they are encumbered with an enormous Church 
establishment, of which they have always, very 
injudiciously, in my judgment, professed them- 
selves to be members, and to the support of 
which those of them who are land-holders 
have to contribute, in proportion to the value 
of their estates, in addition to supporting their 
own institutions. This, no doubt, has very much 
impeded their career of usefulness, and pre- 
vented the growth of their own societies, how- 
ever much it may have contributed to advance 
the cause of evangelical piety in the established 



80 ENGLISH AND AMERICAN METHODISM. 

Church, or among the dissenting denominations. 
We, on the other hand, have free scope, are 
trammelled with no State establishments, but 
have all the rights and privileges of citizens and 
Christians guarantied to us by the equitable 
Constitution under which we live ; so that we 
can walk forth unfettered by any State or United 
States laws, or exclusive privilege of one sect 
above another, husbanding all our means, tem- 
poral, intellectual, and spiritual, for our own ex- 
clusive benefit, or rather for the benefit of man- 
kind. This is doubtless a great advantage over 
our British brethren, and one which we derive 
from our civil institutions, more than from any 
difference in church organization, or any other 
incidental circumstance ; and for which we are 
indebted to the providence of God, which gave 
us our independence as a nation. 

But these comparative advantages and disad- 
vantages are insufiicient of themselves to account 
for the difference in the results of our respective 
efforts. The chief cause of this, I am inclined 
to believe, is, that while we have cherished the 
spirit of revival, they have suffered it to lan- 
guish. This belief is founded not only upon 
the fact above adduced, of the great disparity 
in the respective numbers in communion in the 
two branches of the same Church, but more es- 



COMPARED, 



81 



pecially upon the observations of travellers who 
have visited that country, and whose opportu- 
nities of comparing the two connexions have 
been favourable. Among others, the late emi- 
nent Dr. Fisk, whose memory I love to cherish, 
whose piety and talents adorned the Church of 
which he was a member and a minister, men- 
tions an instance in which one of the Wesleyan 
preachers asked him, if he thought our revivals 
did us any good. To this the Doctor answered, 
with some amazement, that he was surprised to 
hear such a question from a son of Wesley, 
whose journals recorded so many instances of 
the work of God, and more especially as the 
very existence of Methodism was owing to a re- 
vival of pure and undefiled religion. This, how- 
ever, may have been an isolated case ; and though 
not characteristic of the whole body, yet it is to 
be feared that this indifference to the spirit of 
powerful revivals of religion too much pervades 
the body of Methodists in England. They may, 
indeed, go on enlarging their mental powers, 
and systematizing their theology ; but unless 
they, in the mean time, dive proportionately 
deep into the ocean of Divine love, and drink 
large draughts from that perennial fountain, so 
that they can pour forth its refreshing streams 
to water the thirsting souls of men, they will 
6 



82 ENGLISH AND AMERICAN METHODISM. 

see but little fruit of their labours. In a word, 
they must strive for revivals, if they would avoid 
the curse of formalism. 

But comparisons of this sort are always in- 
vidious, and more especially when made by the 
more favoured party. I will therefore pursue 
them no further ; and offer, as an apology for 
introducing them at all, the apparent necessity 
of meeting and obviating the objection which 
has been so often made, by referring to our 
English brethren, as an example for us to fol- 
low, as though all perfection concentrated in 
them, while so many imperfections cling to us, 
that they operate as a clog to stop the wheels 
of our itinerancy ; whereas, with all their per- 
fection and all our imperfection, we have far out- 
stripped them in the race, and in winning souls 
to Christ. And certainly no man who under- 
stands the subject, and is acquainted with the 
writer, will attribute these remarks to any want 
of respect for our British brethren ; for no one, 
I presume to say, feels a more profound respect 
for that elder branch of the Wesley family than 
I do, or more highly appreciates the many ad- 
vantages we have derived from John and Charles 
Wesley, the founders of Methodism, and from 
their successors in the ministry. So long as 
pure Christianity shall exist in our world, shall 



COMPARED. 



88 



the name of Wesley, of Fletcher, of Clarke, of 
Benson, of Watson, and of Moore, be venerated 
as among the best, the most holy, and the most 
useful and highly gifted of men ; and when I 
shall cease to remember them with a grateful 
recollection of their many excellences, and their 
highly useful services in the Church, may " my 
light hand forget its cunning, and my tongue 
cleave to the roof of my mouth." But this 
veneration should not, as it does not, blind me 
to the faults which I think I perceive have crept 
in among them, and which, if not timely cor- 
rected, may prove alike injurious to themselves 
and to the world at large. If in error, I pray 
God and my brethren to forgive me ; but if my 
views are correct, a timely warning will do them 
no harm, and may be a lasting benefit to our- 
selves, in guarding us against a like defect. 

But, after all, the objection I am considering 
has little foundation in truth; for while they 
link several stations together, and thus form a 
circuit, by means of which they secure an inter- 
change of ministerial gifts and labours, one or 
the other is always on the spot to attend to 
pastoral duties, while one only is absent at a 
time in the remoter parts of the circuit. And 
these circuits, what are they ? They are no- 
thing more than stations in close proximity to 



84 ENGLISH AND AMERICAN METHODISM, 

each other, for they have some dozen of them 
in the city of London. 

I grant that were our preachers in the larger 
cities more frequently to interchange pulpits, it 
might be better for themselves and the people ; 
but I never would advise a relapse into the for- 
mer mode, not even in the country places, of 
extended circuits ; for I believe it would be 
greatly detrimental to the work of God, and I 
have seen the operation and effects of both 
modes, and much prefer the latter, for the rea- 
sons already assigned. 

In another respect I allow that our British 
brethren are far in advance of us : I allude to 
their financial affairs. Following the example 
set them by Wesley, they hold themselves un- 
der obligation to pay every claimant his and her 
full demand. To enable them to do this, they 
have adopted a system of finance so regular and 
uniform in its operation, that every member of 
their communion, the poorest not excepted, is 
expected to give something, at least a penny a 
week, while the more wealthy average sixpence 
a week. To meet extraordinary cases, arising 
from sickness or unexpected losses, and to raise 
the amounts necessary to sustain their schools, 
theological or other, they make special collec- 
tions, and have likewise stated subscriptions; 



COMPARED. 



85 



and whatever amount is allowed to any preacher, 
efficient, supernumerary, or superannuated, is 
fully paid him ; and the same is true respecting 
widows of deceased preachers, and their orphan 
children. This is as it ought to be. 

Instead of this being done among us, we per- 
mit our superannuated preachers, our widows 
and orphan children, to go with one-half, one- 
third, and in many instances, with one-fourth, of 
the small pittance allowed them by the Disci- 
pline. This is a burning shame, and it is our 
own fault. We have adopted the absurd, yea, 
I might say, the dishonest principle, and have 
always acted on it, that if we have the money 
in hand, we will pay it, and if not, the depend- 
ent claimants must go without their just de- 
mands ; we make no effectual effort to make up 
their deficiency ; whereas we might, with the 
utmost ease, were a suitable system of finance 
arranged, and if every one concerned would 
carry it into practical effect, collect and pay to 
every claimant his and her entire allowance. 
Let this allowance be considered as a just debt 
which the Church owes to her servants, which 
she is bound in honour and conscience to pay ; 
and then let a systematical plan, — such a plan 
as shall bear equally upon all, — be adopted to 
raise the money ; and let the necessity of the 



86 ENGLISH AND AMERICAN METHODISM. 

case be explained to and enforced upon the peo- 
ple, and this sickening complaining would soon 
be silenced throughout all our borders. 

But though these defects are very apparent, 
in consequence of which there is much indivi- 
dual suffering, yet there is a great improvement 
even in this respect. There is not half the de- 
ficiency now as formerly, notwithstanding the 
increased allowance to the preachers and their 
families. It was not until 1816 that any pro- 
vision was made for fuel and table expenses. 
Before and until that time the preacher was 
allowed only $80 a year and his travelling ex- 
penses, and his wife, if he had one, the same ; 
$16 a year for each child under seven years of 
age, and $24 for all from seven to fourteen ; and 
even that small pittance was seldom paid ; and 
scarcely a parsonage fit for a decent family to 
inhabit was found in all our borders, except per- 
haps in some of our larger cities. In conse- 
quence of the loose manner of managing the 
financial concerns of the Church, the poverty of 
the societies, and the general impression, often 
made by the injudiciousness of the preachers 
themselves, that the Gospel was to be preached 
literally " without money and without price," but 
few of our early preachers received enough to 
clothe them comfortably, and they were gene- 



COMPARED. 



87 



rally treated as paupers, dependent upon the 
charity of the public. 

Thank God, this state of things is somewhat 
altered for the better ; and when our financial 
system shall be perfected, and the truth deeply 
engraven upon the hearts of all, that we are un- 
der a religious obligation to redeem our pledges, 
by giving to every claimant the full amount we 
have solemnly promised to him and her, then 
will Methodism stand erect, and challenge its 
enemies to lay aught to its charge on the score 
of bad faith in its temporal matters. 



CHAPTER XI. 

Defects hi the Church — In the primitive Church — Influence of 
Methodism — Low state of religion at the time Wesley began 
his ministry— This fact generally acknowledged — His qualifi- 
cations for his work — Revival of the missionary work, the 
effect of Methodism — Proved from the state of the several 
missionary societies — In these the Methodists took the lead — 
This stated as an historical fact. 

I think I have succeeded in showing that there 
has been an encouraging improvement in almost 
every respect in the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
I do not say that these improvements have been 
as deep and extensive as they might, and there- 
fore should have been. How far we might 
have been in advance of what we now are, had 



88 



MISSIONARY CAUSE. 



we wisely availed ourselves of every opening 
door for usefulness, and exerted ourselves with 
the utmost diligence in the use of those religious 
appliances within our reach, who can tell ? Had 
we all, preachers and people, been as entirely 
devoted to God, in soul and body, in time and 
substance, as we should have been ; had we 
consecrated unitedly all our powers to God, 
seeking and obtaining that "perfect love," 
which we all profess to believe attainable in this 
life, by which we should have been impelled 
forward in the discharge of every duty, there 
can be no doubt but that we should have ex- 
tended our borders far more extensively than we 
have done. But this is a state of perfection in 
the Church hardly to be expected in this life, 
constituted as mankind are, not only encom- 
passed with numerous infirmities, exposed con- 
tinually to temptations from without, and weak- 
nesses from within, a liability to error from a 
variety of causes, but also, until we are wholly 
sanctified to God, exhibiting less or more of the 
infection of hereditary depravity. 

Indeed, such a perfection never yet was seen, 
not even in the primitive Church. Even in our 
Saviour's time, a traitor appeared among his 
twelve apostles ; and in the apostolic Church, 
after the day of Pentecost, Ananias and Sap- 



THE EARLY CHURCH. 



89 



phira were struck dead for tying unto the Holy 
Ghost. And whoever reads over with attention 
the Epistles, more particularly those of St. Paul 
to the Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians, will 
be convinced that there were disorders which 
needed removal, acts of immorality which called 
for apostolic rebuke, as well as errors in doc- 
trine and practice which could be checked and 
rectified only by the exercise of a strict disci- 
pline. It is true the Philippian Church seemed 
to be a rare example of purity, and hence it 
called forth the highest eulogy from the Apos- 
tle Paul, causing him to " rejoice exceedingly 
for the joy of their faith," and for the fidelity 
with which they had received and held fast the 
doctrines and precepts of Jesus Christ. With 
this happy exception, all had subjected them- 
selves to rebuke ; and the five Churches of 
Asia, to which the Revelator directed his in- 
spired epistles, had all something to correct, 
for the Lord said to them, " I have somewhat 
against you." 

These remarks have been made for the pur- 
pose of showing that, however perfect may be 
our doctrine or discipline, it can scarcely be ex- 
pected, in the present state of human society, 
that no " spot or wrinkle" should be found to 
disfigure the face of the Church. There will, 



90 



MISSIONARY WORK. 



in fact, always be some loiterers, some back- 
sliders, and probably many formalists ; and if 
St. Paul could say in his day, " All seek their 
own, and not the Lord Jesus," need we be sur- 
prised to find upstarts, both in the ministry and 
membership, who manifest more solicitude for 
their own aggrandizement than they do for the 
glory of God in the salvation of souls ? But 
leaving all such to find their way through the 
world as they best may, let us inquire into the 
influence which Methodism, with all its imper- 
fections, has had on the world, and more espe- 
cially on the religious world. It is now about 
one hundred and ten years since the first Me- 
thodist Society was formed in London, under 
the direction of that eminent servant of God, 
the Rev. John "Wesley. What was the general 
state of the religious world at that time ? It 
will be admitted, I think, on all sides, that, with 
but few exceptions, the Christian Church, so 
called, whether Papist or Protestant, had gene- 
rally sunk away into lukewarmness, while many 
portions of it had abjured the peculiar doctrines 
of the Reformation, substituting in their place 
mere forms and ceremonies, or a rational me- 
thod of interpreting the Holy Scriptures, by 
which they were deprived of all their energy, 
and stripped of their characteristic excellence, 



JOHN WESLEY. 



91 



namely, the grand promise of the Holy Spirit to 
awaken, to regenerate, and sanctify the sinner. 
In a word, the greater proportion of the Chris- 
tian world had fallen asleep, as it respects spirit- 
ual and Divine things, so much so that Bishop 
Butler observed, " That it seems to be taken for 
granted that Christianity is but a fable." Hence 
the shafts of infidelity were hurled at its vitals, 
and it seemed to have little left with which to 
defend itself but to resort to tradition, to exter- 
nal rites and ceremonies ; and these were mostly 
torn to pieces by the " cunning craftiness" of 
skeptical men who knew not God. In this sad 
condition was the great mass of Christendom 
when John Wesley arose, to stem the torrent 
of infidelity and iniquity which was rolling over 
the land, and threatening to sweep off the little 
remains of truth and righteousness that were 
still found upon the earth. 

I shall not be accused of partiality, by any 
competent to form a candid judgment, when I 
say that no man could have been better fitted, 
from erudition, strength of intellect, acuteness 
of understanding, deep experimental and prac- 
tical piety, for the task of reforming mankind 
than was John Wesley. Nor can more substan- 
tial evidence be adduced of the general corrup- 
tion of morals and manners which then pervaded 



92 



MISSIONARY -WORK. 



all ranks of society, than the opposition with 
which he had to contend at the commencement 
of his ministerial career. In consequence of his 
preaching the doctrine of justification by grace, 
through faith in the atoning merits of the Lord 
Jesus, and urging the necessity of sanctification, 
and holiness of heart and life, he was ejected 
from the pulpits of the establishment, branded 
as a heretic, by bishops, priests, and deacons ; 
hooted at by the ignorant rabble as a disturber 
of the peace, and persecuted in a variety of 
ways, by dissenters as well as by members of 
the established Church, all agreeing to load 
him with contumely and reproach as a " pesti- 
lent fellow." None of these outbreaks of de- 
praved hearts did for a moment move him from 
his purpose, nor produce any other emotion 
than the tenderest pity for those who spake all 
manner of evil of him. 

See the effect which has been produced. 
Not only has this outward opposition ceased, 
but almost the entire evangelical world has 
adopted, or at least revived, in a greater or less 
degree, his sentiments, and the different branches 
of the Church are moving heaven and earth to 
carry them into effect. Let us see if this be not 
the case. 

The grand missionary cause has received an 



EARLY MISSIONS. 



93 



impetus, since Wesley began his energetic minis- 
try, to which it had been a stranger from the 
days of the apostles until that time. It is true 
that some missions had been undertaken by 
various Protestant denominations at different 
times, and in different places, but they had been 
productive of but little practical result, with 
the exception of the Moravian missions in the 
West Indies, and among some of the North 
American Indians, and the labours of Elliot and 
others, whose laudable efforts were directed to 
the conversion of the Indians in their more im- 
mediate vicinity ; but even these latter missions 
produced no lasting benefit, as scarcely any 
trace of true Christianity was found among the 
natives of our forests at the beginning of the 
present century ; and as to the former, they had, 
and have still, but a limited influence ; though 
we should not forget that John Wesley himself 
was indebted to a Moravian missionary for the 
light he received on the doctrine of justification 
by faith, and the witness and fruits of the Spirit. 

But since Mr. Wesley commenced his evan- 
gelical labours, setting such an example as he 
did, by his astonishing efforts to diffuse the 
blessings of a living Christianity among man- 
kind, travelling from one end of the kingdom 
of Great Britain and Ireland to another, pro- 



94 



MISSIONARY WORK. 



claiming with a loud and distinct voice, to all 
classes of men, that they must " fear God, and 
give glory to his name," missionary societies 
have sprung into existence in almost every di- 
rection, among all denominations of Christians, 
and their missionaries have been sent to the 
four quarters of the globe, " preaching Jesus 
and the resurrection." A glance at the date 
of the several missionary societies will verify the 
fact above stated, that the most of these have 
been commenced since Wesleyan Methodism be- 
gan its leavening influence upon the community. 
With the exception of the Moravian missions, 
before alluded to, and one established in Lap- 
land, by the king of Sweden, in 1559, and those 
among the American Indians, by Elliot and 
others, in 1646, and another on the coast of 
Coromandel, in the East Indies, in 1705, and 
one more in Greenland, in 1721, there was no 
Protestant mission in existence until 1786, when 
Dr. Coke was compelled, by adverse winds, to 
change his course towards Nova Scotia, to which 
he had intended to go, and land himself, and 
the missionaries who accompanied him, in the 
island of Antigua, where he established a mis- 
sion. 

In 1793, the Baptist Missionary Society was 
organized, and sent missionaries to Bengal. In 



REVIVED BY METHODISM. 



95 



1796 the London Missionary Society commenced 
its operations by sending missionaries to the 
South-Sea Islands. In 1799 Dr. Coke opened 
a mission to the native Irish. In 1800, the 
New- York (Baptist) Missionary Society com- 
menced a mission among the Tuscarora Indians. 
In 1808, the Edinburgh Missionary Society 
sent missionaries to explore the country between 
the Caspian and Black Seas. In 1803, the 
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church 
established a mission among the Cherokee In- 
dians. In 1809, Dr. Coke began a mission for 
the benefit of the French prisoners on the Eng- 
lish coast. In 1810, the American Board of 
Commissioners for Foreign Missions was organ- 
ized in the city of Boston. In 1813, Dr. Coke, 
in company with seven missionaries, embarked 
for the East Indies. In 1814, the Wesleyan 
Methodist Missionary Society was formed. In 
1819, the Missionary Society of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church was formed. In 1816, the 
New- York Protestant Episcopal Missionary So- 
ciety was organized ; and the Protestant Epis- 
copal Missionary Society for the United States 
was established in 1823. In 1826, the Ameri- 
can Home Missionary Society was organized. 

From these facts it will be perceived that all 
these societies were organized after, and some 



96 



MISSIONARY WORK. 



of them long after, Methodism had been work- 
ing in the hearts, and exemplifying its principles 
in the lives of mankind, and that Dr. Coke, a 
disciple of Wesley, took the lead in this God- 
like enterprise, by establishing a mission for the 
salvation of the slave population of Antigua. 
It is, therefore, as evident as the shining of the 
sun at noonday, that Wesleyan Methodism has 
exerted an influence of a highly beneficial cha- 
racter upon other denominations, in, first, excit- 
ing a spirit of experimental piety, and, secondly, 
in leading them forth in the grand work of con- 
verting the world to Christianity, by means of 
missionary labours. 

This is not said by way of vain boasting. 
" God forbid that we should glory save in the 
cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.' ' It is recorded 
as an historical fact, now very generally acknow- 
ledged by all impartial, candid Christians, and 
hence it would be false modesty to attempt its 
concealment. That other denominations have 
felt more or less the genial influence of Method- 
ism, and have thereby been revived in evan- 
gelical principles and experience, is a fact which 
I delight to record, not merely because I be- 
long to the Methodist Episcopal Church, but 
chiefly because it demonstrates a diffusive spread 
of evangelical light and love, and is an encourag- 



REVIVED BY METHODISM. 97 

ing omen of the near approach of that day when 
all nations shall acknowledge Jesus Christ as 
the King of saints, and the " knowledge of the 
Lord shall cover the earth, as the waters do the 
great deep." And I would say of them all, 
" Would to God they were all prophets," that 
is, that they were all " holy in all manner of 
conversation and godliness ;" for those who are 
so will labour together for the faith of the gospel, 
for the furtherance of the cause of Christ, irre- 
spective of sects and parties, knowing that in 
this holy family there is but " one Lord, one 
faith, and one baptism." 

By what means Methodism has produced this 
salutary effect, will be more fully stated here- 
after, should God permit me to pursue my train 
of thoughts to its close. In the mean time 
allow me here to remark, to prevent misunder- 
standing upon this subject, that it was not by 
the invention of any new doctrine that Wesley 
effected the reformation which accompanied his 
and the labours of his coadjutors and successors 
in the ministry, but it was by reviving and bring- 
ing out prominently, explicitly, and definitely, 
before the people, truths which lay hidden in 
their articles of faith, and were found scattered 
in their formularies of devotion, and so present- 
ing them to the understandings, and pressing 



Q8 



MISSIONARY WORK. 



their solemn weight upon the consciences of all 
who were within the sound of his and their 
voice, that their high importance might be duly 
appreciated, and their experimental and practi- 
cal bearing felt in the heart, and exemplified in 
the life. These great truths of God had long 
been laid aside by the generality of Christians, 
and so entirely forgotten, that but few seemed 
aware that they had ever been taught. These 
truths Wesley resuscitated, dragged them from 
the tomb, clothed them in a new garb, and pre- 
sented them to the people in so living and lovely 
a form, that while the wicked at first hated and 
persecuted them, and him that proclaimed them, 
those who became "wise in heart" discerned 
their beauty, appreciated their excellence, be- 
lieved and embraced them with their whole 
hearts, and thus became, in their turn, witnesses 
of their saving power. In this way the work 
spread, and in this way it is still spreading, and 
I most ardently pray that it may continue to 
spread, until " all shall know the Lord, from the 
least to the greatest." 



THE TRACT CAUSE. 



99 



CHAPTER XII. 

Tract cause — Mr. Wesley took the lead in this — Reformed the 
literature of the age — His object in writing, to do good — Title 
of some of his tracts — Distributed one at the church door in 
London — Commences his printing establishment — His example 
followed by others — Hannah More — Tract societies organized 
in England and the United States — An example of the good 
effects of a tract. 

It is not alone in the missionary department 
that the influence of Methodism has been felt. 
In the various benevolent institutions of the 
day, which are now blessing mankind with their 
hallowing effects, the Methodists have not only 
taken a prominent part, but in many of them 
they have taken the lead. The first of these 
which I shall mention is the Tract cause, 
chiefly because it is well calculated to scatter 
religious knowledge in the cheapest and most 
expeditious form, among the great mass of the 
community. 

Mr. Wesley was the first in modern times to 
avail himself of this method of diffusing reli- 
gious truth, and that too in the most pointed 
manner; aiming his rebukes and instructions 
directly to the conscience of the sinner, by 
means of short, pithy tracts. I say the first 
among modern writers ; far though Wiclif 



100 



THE TRACT CAUSE. 



published and circulated small tracts for the in- 
struction of the common people, and Luther 
issued his German translation of the Bible in 
small fragments at a time, and likewise sent out 
some doctrinal theses in short pieces by them- 
selves, they had long ceased to circulate : and 
most of the book-knowledge was either locked 
up in the cabinets of princes, or confined in 
private or public libraries, and found chiefly in 
large tomes too bulky for an ordinary man to 
read, and much of even this was hidden from 
the common people in the learned languages. 
This was the general state of the literature of 
the world when Wesley commenced the publi- 
cation of small books, written in the plainest 
possible style, compressing much matter into 
few words ; abridging large folios by leaving 
out all superfluous words, and erroneous or un- 
profitable matter, as well as composing sermons 
and small tracts of his own, so as to bring them 
within the reach of the greatest number of 
people. In this way he became not only a re- 
former of the hearts and lives of the people, but 
also of the literature of the age, and introduced 
a method of circulating small tracts upon a 
variety of religious and literary subjects before 
unknown to the community. Hear his reason 
for this. Under date of March 17, 1769, after 



STARTED BY JOHN WESLEY. 101 

giving an account of an abridgment he had been 
making of Dr. Watts' pretty Treatise on the 
Passions, he says, " Why do persons who treat 
the same subjects with me, write so much larger 
books ? Of many reasons, is not this the chief — 
We do not write with the same view ! Their 
principal end is to get money : my only one to 
do good/' This indeed was the only object of 
not only his writing, but of all he did ; for not- 
withstanding he had the fairest opportunity 
imaginable of accumulating riches, he died not 
worth £10 sterling, independent of his books, 
after his debts were paid ; not one five-hun- 
dredth part of what Southey is said to have 
made for writing the Life of Wesley, in which 
he branded that holy man of God with the base 
motive of unholy ambition in all his movements, 
and in the compilation of which he proved his 
utter incompetency to estimate the worth of the 
character, to understand the principles, or to 
appreciate the motives of the man of whom he 
wrote. 

But I was about proving that Wesley was 
the first in modern times to write small tracts, 
and circulate them gratuitously among the peo- 
ple. His tracts entitled, " A Word to a Sab- 
bath-Breaker/' " A Word to a Swearer," " A 
Word to a Drunkard," " A Word to an Un« 



102 



TRACT CAUSE. 



happy Woman," "A Word to a Smuggler," 
"with others of a like character, admirably suited 
to the times, were written about the year 1767, 
nearly sixty years before any tract society was 
organized in the United States. And whoever 
will take the trouble of reading those tracts — 
and they may be seen in the seventh volume of 
his works, pp. 355-377 — will be convinced that 
more pointed, Scriptural, experimental, and 
practical tracts cannot be found in the English 
language ; all expressed in language plain, pithy, 
and home to the point, and admirably calculated 
to awaken the sinner's conscience, and to lead 
him to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. 
Among others, there is one entitled, " A Word 
to a Protestant," which I would take the liberty 
of recommending to those who are blustering 
about the Roman Catholics, and they will learn 
how to treat them so as to convert them to the 
knowledge of the truth, instead of spending 
their time and strength in denouncing the curse 
of God upon them indiscriminately. * The 
wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of 
God." 

I said above, that the tracts mentioned were 
written about the year 1767, though most of 
them are without date ; but it appears from his 
Journal that he commenced this work at a much 



JOHN WESLEY. 



103 



earlier time ; for I find, under date of Wednes- 
day, December 18, 1745, twenty-two years 
anterior to the time above mentioned, the fol- 
lowing entry : — 

" "We had, within a short time, given away some thou- 
sands of little tracts among the common people. And 
it pleased God hereby to provoke others to jealousy. 
Insomuch that the lord mayor had ordered a large num- 
ber of papers, dissuading from cursing and swearing, to 
be printed and distributed to the trainbands. And this 
day ' An Earnest Exhortation to Serious Repentance ' 
was given at every church door, in or near London, to 
every person that came out ; and one left at the house 
of every householder who was absent from church. I 
doubt not but God gave a blessing therewith. — Works, 
vol. iii, p. 361. 

Mr. Wesley, perceiving the immense benefit 
resulting from scattering among the people re- 
ligious tracts, and other books on a variety of 
subjects, in the cheapest possible form, was led 
to establish a printing-press of his own, that he 
might control it in the manner he saw best. 
Here his books were printed under his own di- 
rection, freed from those restraints and inter- 
ruptions with which he had often been per- 
plexed by the carelessness of those who had 
heretofore printed his works. And what a 
mighty revolution has this example effected in 
the religious world ! Not only have the Wes- 



104 



TRACT CAUSE. 



leyan Methodists in England, and the American 
Methodists, book establishments, but the Pres- 
byterians, the Protestant Episcopalians, and the 
American Tract Society, have publication offices, 
at which are printed a vast variety of tracts, 
Sunday-school books, and other publications ; 
each denomination selecting and issuing such as 
may please it best, or which it may judge most 
suitable to answer its object. 

In this good work also, as well as in the pre- 
paration of small tracts, Wesleyan Methodism 
took the lead, setting an example for using this 
mighty lever, the printing-press, for diffusing 
religious knowledge throughout the world. 

But to pursue the history of the tract cause. 
We have already seen that Mr. Wesley began 
in this work as early as 1745; and the next 
author of any eminence who adopted this method 
of instructing the ignorant and reforming the 
vicious, was the pious and celebrated Hannah 
More. Seeing the progress of infidelity among 
the lower class of society, her spirit was stirred 
within her to adopt some suitable means to 
check its pernicious influence. Hence she was 
led to write small tracts, and put them in circu- 
lation for the special benefit of those whose time 
and means would not allow them to purchase 
and read larger works. These, and other ex- 



RESULTS. 



105 



amples, led to the establishment of the Religious 
Tract Society in England, and various Tract So- 
cieties in the United States, and finally the 
American Tract Society in the city of ISTew- 
York, in 1825, just eighty years after Mr. Wes- 
ley gives an account of distributing the tract 
entitled "An Earnest Exhortation to Repent- 
ance," at the doors of the churches in London. 
Long before this or any other similar society was 
formed, Bishop Asbury was in the habit of 
distributing small tracts, some of which he got 
printed at his own expense, among the people 
he visited, as well as circulating Bibles and Tes- 
taments for years anterior to the organization of 
the American Bible Society. Other benevolent 
individuals, of various denominations, did the 
same. 

While employed as a missionary on the River 
Thames, in Upper Canada, to which place I had 
volunteered my services in 1804, not having 
any printed tracts, I wrote several very short 
ones, in as plain a hand as I could, entitled, 
" A Word to the Swearer," " A Word to the 
Drunkard," &c, that I might, as I was fre- 
quently under the necessity of lodging in taverns, 
surrounded with such characters, slip them into 
their pockets, that they might perchance after- 
wards find and read them. 



106 



TRACT CAUSE. 



One instance I remember perfectly well hap- 
pened at a tavern, where was a large company 
of Scotch immigrants, who were returning from 
a settlement which had been formed by Lord 
Selkirk, which proved so unhealthy that many 
of them had died, and the remainder, the present 
company, were fleeing for safety. They were 
very noisy, some half drunk ; and one of their 
number accosted me, supposing I was a clergy- 
man, in a very incoherent manner, on the subject 
of religion. I put into his pocket, as secretly 
as I could, one of my written tracts, " A Word 
to the Drunkard." Some one, however, saw 
me do it, and informed the other of what I had 
done. He read it, and then another read it, 
and then another, and so it passed around. 
They all became silent, and apparently solemn. 
I then arose and gave them an exhortation, read 
them a chapter from my pocket-Bible, and 
prayed with them. We had no more noise nor 
drinking ; and I parted with them the next 
morning with their good- will, and many good 
wishes. How thankful should I have been, 
could I have furnished myself with a few short 
printed tracts, such as those written by Mr. 
Wesley, before described ! But those were 
days of small things in comparison of these in 
which we live ; days in which tens of thousands 



METHODISM. 



107 



of these little silent mentors are sent out in every 
direction, " flying," like the angel in the Apoca- 
lypse, " in the midst of heaven, having the 
everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell 
on the earth," and proclaiming it in almost every 
tongue under heaven. 

Such is the influence of Methodism on the 
method of writing and printing tracts, and other 
good books. I rejoice exceedingly that others 
have taken knowledge of us, or rather of John 
Wesley, in this respect, and are combining their 
influence in bringing the press to bear, with all 
its ponderous weight, upon the spiritual and 
eternal interests of men, May they not cease 
to apply themselves to this work, until " the 
ends of the earth shall see the salvation of 
God." 



108 



SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Sunday-schools— Originated with Raikes— Wesley among the 
first to patronize them — Teachers labour gratuitously — Wes- 
ley's account of them— Origin in Wales by the labours of Mr. 
Charles — These gave rise to the Bible Societies — First taught 
by Methodists in America— The glory of the good work due to 
God. 

We have seen that Methodism has taken the 
lead in modern missionary enterprises, and in 
furnishing the community with small cheap 
publications, and particularly with tracts, suited 
to the times, and adapted to the capacities and 
wants of the common people. This led to fur- 
ther and more beneficial results in the Sunday- 
school enterprise. For though this movement 
was begun by Raikes, who was, I believe, a 
member of the Established Church — and to 
whatever church he might have belonged, he 
was an ornament to the Church of Christ, and a 
philanthropist of the purest sort — in the city of 
Gloucester, in 1782, yet John Wesley was 
among the first to patronize Sunday-schools, 
and recommend them to his people. In his 
Magazine for January, 1785, only about three 
years after Raikes began his Sunday-school in 
Gloucester, Mr. Wesley published an account of 
them, and exhorted his societies to imitate the 



WESLEY PATRONIZES THEM. 109 



example set them by Mr. Raikes ; and they 
took his advice, nay, they went far beyond him 
in the philanthropic character of the schools; 
for the teachers engaged in that service be- 
stowed their labours gratuitously, whereas the 
teachers who were engaged by Raikes were 
paid for their services, he agreeing to give them 
a shilling sterling a day for teaching a Sabbath- 
school. We claim, therefore, for Wesley, the 
merit of introducing gratuitous instruction in 
Sabbath-schools, and thereby, in conjunction 
with the Christian instruction which was im- 
parted, of giving them a decided and thorough 
religious character. In the same year, 1785, a 
Methodist Sabbath-school was formed at Bolton 
le Moor, and, under date of April 16, 1786, Mr. 
Wesley says, "The house was crowded the 
more, because of 550 children who are taught 
in our Sunday-schools : such an army of them 
got about me when I came out of the chapel, 
that I could scarcely disengage myself from 
them." And so rapidly did they multiply in his 
societies, that they were soon found in almost 
every part of the kingdom of Great Britain and 
Ireland, and they were constantly taught without 
fee or reward. 

Mr. Wesley's delight in beholding the pros- 
perity of the Sunday-schools, must have been 



110 



SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 



exquisite. Speaking of his visit to Bolton, un- 
der date of April 19, 1788, he says, — 

" And this I must avow, there is not such a set of 
singers in any of the Methodist congregations in the 
three kingdoms. There cannot be, for we have nearly 
a hundred such trebles, boys and girls, selected from the 
Sunday-schools, and accurately taught, as are not found 
together in any chapel, cathedral, or music-room within 
the four seas. Besides, the spirit with which they all 
sing, and the beauty of many of them, so suits the melody, 
that I defy any to exceed it, except the singing of angels 
in our heavenly Father's house." 

On the 20th of the same month he remarks : — 

"About three, I met between 900 and 1000 of the 
children belonging to our Sunday-schools. I never saw 
such a sight before. They were all neatly clean, as well 
as plain in their apparel. All were serious and well- 
behaved. When they all sung together, and none of 
them out of tune, the melody was beyond that of any 
theatre ; and, what is best of all, many of them truly 
fear God, and some rejoice in his salvation. These are 
a pattern to all the town. Their usual diversion is to 
visit the poor that are sick, sometimes six or eight, or 
ten together, to exhort, comfort, and pray with them. 
Frequently ten or more get together to sing and pray 
for themselves, sometimes thirty or forty, and are so 
earnestly engaged, alternately singing, praying, and 
crying, that they know not how to part. You children 
that hear this, why should you not go and do likewise % 
Is not God here as well as at Bolton ? Let God arise 
and maintain his own cause, even out of the mouths of 
babes and sucklings." 



CROWTHERS ACCOUNT. 



Ill 



Surely they must have applied themselves 
with a rare diligence to bring these schools to 
such a degree of perfection within six years after 
their commencement by the philanthropic Raikes. 
And it shows with what hearty zeal, as well as 
wisdom, the Methodists entered into this benevo- 
lent work, under the sanction, and at the re- 
commendation, of their founder. And the holy 
enthusiasm with which Wesley speaks of those 
Sunday-school children, evinces the ardour with 
which he beheld this new development of Di- 
vine Providence in providing means for the in- 
struction and salvation of the rising generation. 

Under date of Madeley, March 24, 1790, in 
a letter to a friend, he says, — 

" I am glad you have set up Sunday-schools at New- 
castle. This is one of the best institutions which have 
been seen in Europe for some centuries, and will do 
more and more good, provided the teachers and in- 
spectors do their duty. Nothing can prevent the success 
of this blessed work, but the neglect of the instruments ; 
therefore, be sure to watch them with all care, that they 
may not grow weary in well-doing." 

Mr. Crowther, in his portraiture of Method- 
ism, states, " that since the establishment of 
Sunday-schools, the Methodists have done more 
to support them than all other denominations in 
England." Mr. Charles, a Calvinistic Methodist 



112 



SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 



preacher, was either the first, or among the first, 
that introduced these schools into Wales. To 
him is ascribed the honour of originating that 
philanthropic institution, " The British and Fo- 
reign Bible Society," which has been significantly- 
called " the blooming daughter of Sabbath- 
schools," because the want of the Holy Scrip- 
tures in the Sunday-schools in Wales, as com- 
municated by Mr. Charles, led to the formation 
of that noble institution, and this finally led to 
the establishment of the American Bible Society, 
in 1826. It appears, therefore, that the gigantic 
efforts that have been put, and are now putting 
forth in the Bible cause, may be distinctly traced 
to the influence of Methodism. Thus has this 
" plant of renown," despised and persecuted at 
first, and for a considerable time after it began 
its growth, spread out its branches in different 
directions, sheltering many of the weary sons 
and daughters of man. 

And it should not be forgotten, that while it 
is stated that the Sunday-School Society in Eng- 
land, during the first fifteen years of its exist- 
ence — that is, from 1785 to 1800 — expended 
£5,000 sterling in paying the wages of teachers, 
the Methodist teachers refused all compensation 
for their services, as is well known to all who 
are acquainted with the subject, thus showing 



THEIR ORIGIN IN AMERICA. 113 

the charitable spirit by which they have been, 
and are, actuated ; and such has been the influ- 
ence of their example in this respect, that all 
others have copied it, none receiving, so far as is 
known to the writer, any pecuniary reward for 
their services. 

But, notwithstanding the above facts are 
notorious in regard to Sabbath-schools in the 
Old World, it had been asserted that their com- 
mencement in America was owing to the labours 
of Bishop White and Dr. Rush, and some per- 
sons connected with the society of Friends in 
Philadelphia ; and it had been announced as an 
indisputable fact, that the school established by 
Mrs. Bethune, in 1815, was " the first Sunday- 
school in the New World" These announce- 
ments were generally considered as authentic, 
until the formation of the Sunday-School Union 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in April 2d, 
1827, which, on account of the clamour that 
was made concerning this event, led the mana- 
gers to investigate the subject, when the fol- 
lowing facts were elicited, which were laid 
before the public in the first Annual Heport in 
1828:— 

" We shall not now present the many facts in our 
possession, which go to defeat the pretensions thus made 
to the claim of priority in this country, but shall content 
8 



114 



SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 



ourselves for the present with recording, that in the 
year 1786, a Sabbath-school was taught in the house of 
our aged brother, Thomas Crenshaw, now living in 
Hanover county, Va. ; and in the following year, forty- 
one years ago, the Eev. John Charleston was converted 
to God in that school, and he also still lives, having 
laboured with zeal and success for thirty-nine years past 
as a minister in our Church. About the same time 
there were many more in successful operation, as may 
be seen by a reference to Bishop Asbury's Journal, 
vol. ii, p. 65, and Lee's History of Methodism, pp. 162-3. 
And from these facts, we apprehend, it will not be denied 
that these schools were established several years before 
any other denomination participated in our labours, or 
shared our reproach. For about this time there were 
persecutions instituted against the brethren engaged in 
these schools, which might damp the ardour of most of 
our modern teachers. By a letter lately received from 
the Rev. Stith Mead, an old veteran of the cross, now 
labouring within the bounds of the Virginia Conference, 
we learn that not long after, the Rev. George Daugha- 
day, stationed preacher at Charleston, S. C, was severely 
beaten on the head with a club, and subsequently had 
water pumped on him from a public cistern, for the 
crime of conducting a Sabbath-school for the benefit of 
the African children of that vicinity. Thus he and others 
'both laboured and suffered reproach,' and we live to 
reap the fruit of their doings. 

"From these statements, which we regret have not 
been published before, of what our fathers and brethren 
have done in this good cause, all will agree that at this 
late date something ought to be expected of us, as the 
descendants of such progenitors. And we rejoice that 
the formation of the Sunday- School Union of the Me- 



MR. RAIKES. 



115 



thodist Episcopal Church has given an impulse to these 
institutions, which, we trust, under the blessing of Hea- 
ven, will be seen and felt, with continual augmentation, 
to the latest posterity. And it is with mingled emotions 
of pleasure and gratitude, that the Board now invite the 
attention of the friends and patrons of our infant insti- 
tution to the interesting details of this their first Annual 
Report." 

Though Mr. Raikes commenced his Sunday- 
school for the exclusive benefit of those idle and 
profligate children whom he found playing in 
the streets on the Lord's day, in the town of 
Gloucester, and, perhaps, at first, designed 
nothing more than to teach them the elementary 
principles of the English language, yet to what 
important results has that simple circumstance 
led ! Now the Holy Scriptures are read and 
explained, and children of all classes, those 
regularly taught in the common schools of the 
country, and those otherwise instructed in the 
principles of religion, are gathered into Sunday- 
schools, and placed under the tuition of teachers 
who " fear God and work righteousness." Nor 
is the practice confined to one denomination of 
Christians, but happily extends among all, not 
excepting even the Roman Catholics. 

Now, although Raikes was not a Methodist, 
yet Methodism had been at work for nearly half 
a century before he commenced his public 



116 



SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 



career of a patron of Sunday-schools. And how 
far he was indebted to the indirect influence of 
Methodism, for it pervaded all the ranks of 
evangelism more or less, who can tell ? At any 
rate, as we have seen above, no sooner was the 
experiment made, than Wesley availed himself 
of this auxiliary means to do good to the souls 
and bodies of men, hailing it with the most ex- 
quisite delight, and enlisting all his societies in 
this work of benevolence to the rising genera- 
tion. And if we have reason to bless God for 
the existence and powerful operation of the 
British and Foreign, and the American and 
other Bible Societies, then have we abundant 
cause to praise Him for raising up Methodism, 
for it was through this influence that these god- 
like institutions were organized. 

These things are not said for the purpose of 
assuming a glory which belongs exclusively to 
God. Were we to do this, we might anticipate 
His frown instead of His smile. " The good 
that is done upon the earth, He doeth it." But 
while historical accuracy requires the facts to be 
stated as they were, a just sense of our depen- 
dence on the grace of God in Christ Jesus, con- 
strains us to ascribe to Him, and to Him alone, 
the honour and glory of " every good and per- 
fect gift." It was God that raised up Wesley, 



GOD'S WORK. 



117 



and made him instrumental of so much good to 
the Churches. It was God that raised him up 
such efficient helpers in the field of labour, and 
thrust them out to convert " sinners from the 
errors of their ways." It was God that directed 
the immortal Raikes to devise ways and means 
to rescue those forlorn children, who were pro- 
faning the holy Sabbath, from their thraldom, 
and gather them into Sabbath-schools. It was 
the same almighty Spirit who inspired his ser- 
vants to seize hold of this moral lever, that they 
might raise the degraded sons of men from their 
" low estate," and exalt them among the "princes 
of the people." And He, by the same influ- 
ence, has raised his willing people, of every 
name and denomination, to take hold of this in- 
strument, and wield it manfully, in the true 
spirit of Christian charity, for the destruction 
of error and vice, and for the establishment of 
truth and righteousness in the world. 

May "many" continue " to run to and fro, 
until the knowledge" of God's salvation shall 
" extend from sea to sea, and from the rivers to 
the ends of the earth.' * 



118 



TEMPERANCE. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

The temperance reformation — Mr. Wesley takes the lead in this 
— Extract from his sermon — From his tract — General rule on 
that subject incorporated in an altered form at the organiza- 
tion of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1784 — The Church 
vacillates on this subject — Intemperance gaining- upon us — 
The voice of Hewitt awakens us — Restoration of Wesley's 
Rule— Importance of the cause. 

Among the many means which have been used 
in modern times for the good of mankind, we 
may include the Temperance Reformation as 
one of the most efficient. The evils of intem- 
perance are so numerous ; in many instances so 
appalling, so complicated in their character, so 
direfully destructive to present peace and pros- 
perity, and to future hopes and happiness, that 
it seems needless to enumerate them ; there is, 
indeed, no one vice that has been productive of 
so great an amount of misery, temporal and 
eternal, as drunkenness. How many wealthy 
families have been reduced to poverty; how 
many wives have been made widows ; how many 
children have been left orphans ; how many 
crimes have been perpetrated, in consequence 
of inebriety, what pen can write, or what 
arithmetic can calculate, or what mind can even 
conceive ? 

To check an evil of such magnitude, what 



INTEMPERANCE. 



119 



mighty efforts have been put forth within the 
last half century ! And yet how many there 
are who remain under the power of this tyrant ! 

But among all the writers or speakers against 
drunkenness, and in favour of temperance, none 
has wielded a more powerful pen, or spoken 
with a more distinct and loud voice, than did 
John Wesley. And he spoke and wrote long 
before the present temperance reformation com- 
menced its onward march. Even as early as 
1*743, the rule was inserted in the "General 
Rules of the United Societies," forbidding " Drun- 
kenness, buying or selling spirituous liquors, or 
drinking them, unless in cases of extreme neces- 
sity.' ' In this rule, not only the drinking of 
spirituous liquors, but all trafficking in them, the 
buying or selling them, is absolutely prohibited, 
unless in cases of extreme necessity ; by which 
we are to understand the using them only as a 
medicine. Here, then, was the germ of a strictly 
temperance society, and all the societies founded 
by Mr. Wesley recognized this as one of their 
binding rules. Mr. Wesley, therefore, in this, 
as well as in many other respects, lived a hun- 
dred years in advance of his age, as he actually 
anticipated the era of the temperance reforma- 
tion for nearly that length of time. Let us see 
how he attempted to enforce the rule upon the 



120 



TEMPERANCE. 



consciences of mankind, by his preaching and 
-writings. Among all the warnings to the ine- 
briate, or exhortations to induce him to forsake 
his cups, and " flee for refuge to lay hold on 
the hope set before him," there is none to be 
found so pointed, and, I might add, so tremen- 
dously eloquent, because expressed in the sim- 
plest language of truth, addressed directly to 
the understanding and conscience, as the follow- 
ing, taken from his sermon on "The Use of 
Money. " He says, among other things by 
which a man may acquire riches unlawfully : — 

" Neither may we gain by hurting our neighbour in 
his body. Therefore we may not sell anything which 
tends to impair health. Such is, eminently, all that 
liquid fire, commonly called drams, or spirituous liquors. 
It is true, these may have a place in medicine : they 
may be of use in some bodily disorders ; although there 
would rarely be occasion for them, were it not for the 
unskilfulness of the practitioner. Therefore such as 
prepare and sell them only for this end, may keep their 
conscience clear. But who are they who prepare them 
only for this end 1 Do you know ten such distillers in 
England ? Then excuse these. But all who sell them 
in the common way, to any that will buy, are poisoners 
general. They murder his Majesty's subjects by whole- 
sale, neither does their eye pity or spare. They drive 
them to hell like sheep : and what is their gain ? Is it 
not the blood of these men ? "Who then would envy 
their large estates and sumptuous palaces ? A curse is 
in the midst of them : the curse of God cleaves to the 



WESLEY'S WORDS, 



121 



stones, the timber, the furniture of them ! The curse 
of God is in their gardens, their walks, their groves ; a 
fire that burns to the nethermost hell ! Blood, blood is 
there ; the foundation, the floor, the walls, the roof, are 
stained with blood ! And canst thou hope, O thou man 
of blood, though thou art ' clothed in scarlet and fine 
linen, and farest sumptuously every day;' canst thou 
hope to deliver down thy fields of blood to the third 
generation ? Wot so ; for there is a God in heaven : 
therefore, thy name shall soon be rooted out. Like as 
those whom thou hast destroyed, body and soul, ' thy 
memorial shall perish with thee !' " — Works, vol. i, p. 443. 

One can hardly read these words without a 
shudder ! Such awful curses denounced upon 
these "murderers general," these "men of 
blood," are enough to make the flesh quiver, 
and to beget a " fearful looking for of fiery indig- 
nation, which shall devour the adversaries." 

Nor are the following remarks less pointed 
and solemn : — 

" Are you a man ? God made you a man ; but you 
make yourself a beast. Wherein does a man differ from 
a beast ? Is it not chiefly in reason and understanding '% 
But you throw away what reason you have. You strip 
yourself of your understanding. You do all you can to 
make yourself a mere beast ; not a fool, not a madman 
only, but a swine, a poor filthy swine. Go and wallow 
with them in the mire ! Go drink on, till thy nakedness 
be uncovered, and .shameful spewing be on thy glory ! 

" O how honourable is a beast of God's making, com- 
pared to one who makes himself a beast ! But that 



122 



TEMPERANCE. 



is not all. You make yourself a devil. You stir up all 
the devilish tempers that are in you, and gain others, 
which perhaps were not in you ; at least you heighten 
and increase them. You cause the fire of anger, or 
malice, or lust, to burn seven times hotter than before. 
At the same time you grieve the Spirit of God, till you 
drive him quite away from you ; and whatever spark of 
good remained in your soul, you drown and quench at 
once. 

" So you are now just fit for every work of the devil, 
having cast off all that is good or virtuous, and filled 
your heart with everything that is bad, that is earthly, 
sensual, devilish. You have forced the Spirit of God to 
depart from you ; for you would take none of his re- 
proof j and you have given yourself up into the hands 
of the devil, to be led blindfold by him at his will. 

" Now what should hinder the same thing from be- 
falling you, which befell him who was asked, which was 
the greater sin, adultery, drunkenness, or murder ; and 
which of the three he had rather commit ? He said 
drunkenness was the least. Soon after, he got drunk ; 
he then met with another man's wife, and ravished her ; 
the husband coming to help her, he murdered him. So 
drunkenness, adultery, and murder went together. 

" I have heard a story of a poor wild Indian, far wiser 
than either him or you. The English gave him a cask of 
strong liquor. The next morning he called his friends 
together, and setting it into the midst of them, said, 
These white men have given us poison. This man,' 
(calling him by his name ) ' was a wise man, and would 
hurt none but his enemies ; but as soon as he had drunk 
of this he was mad, and would have killed his own bro- 
ther. We will not be poisoned.' He then broke the 
cask, and poured the liquor upon the sand. 



GENERAL RULES. 



123 



" On what motive do you thus poison yourself 1 only 
for the pleasure of doing it ? What ! will you make 
yourself a beast, or rather a devil ? Will you run the 
hazard of committing all manner of villanies ; and this 
only for the poor pleasure of a few moments, while the 
poison is running down your throat? O, never call 
yourself a Christian ! Never call yourself a man ! You 
are -sunk beneath the greater part of the beasts that 
perish." 

The above extracts are a part of a tract, en- 
titled, " A Word to the Drunkard," which was 
extensively circulated, and, I doubt not, was in- 
strumental of rescuing many of that unhappy 
class of men. 

I have already quoted the item in the Gene- 
ral Rules, which prohibits buying, selling, or 
drinking spirituous liquors, unless in cases of 
extreme necessity. At the organization of the 
Church, in 1784, in this country, the same rule 
was adopted, with the exception of the words, 
" unless in cases of extreme necessity," which 
were omitted, so that the rule was more strin- 
gent than as it came from the hands of Mr. 
Wesley. And I believe the Methodist preach- 
ers of that day, and the people also, acted up 
to the requirements of the rule ; for they have 
been made the " song of the drunkard " often 
for refusing to partake of the poisonous liquid 
when offered them, in the early days of their 



124 



TEMPERANCE. 



ministry. After a while, however, they began 
to relax, and the rule itself was altered in 1*790, 
by inserting the words, " unless in cases of ne- 
cessity," and omitting the words, " buying or 
selling;" thus absurdly screening the seller and 
buyer, while it condemned the drinker ! Thus 
the rule stood until the General Conference of 
1848, when Mr. Wesley's original rule was re- 
stored to the Discipline, so that the Methodist 
Episcopal Church may now be considered a 
strict temperance society, prohibiting its mem- 
bers all use of spirituous liquors, except in cases 
of extreme necessity ; by which I understand, 
that they are to be used only medicinally ; in 
which way, like other drugs, they may some- 
times be of service. 

I have given the above facts for the purpose 
of showing, not only that Mr. Wesley and his 
compeers took the lead in the cause of tempe- 
rance ; but also to exhibit the manner in which 
the Methodists, in this country, vacillated from 
one extreme to another, until finally they have 
settled down upon the true principle ; namely, 
a total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors, 
unless used as a medicine. It is, indeed, a fact, 
which I am almost ashamed to confess, that at 
the time the temperance reformation commenced, 
by the organization of the American Temperance 



THE RULE A DEAD LETTER. 125 

Society, notwithstanding our rule against the use 
of spirituous liquors, many of us, both preachers 
and people, were in the habit of drinking, if not 
to excess, yet drinking moderately, cider, beer, 
w T ine, and brandy ; and the probability is, that 
had not the temperance measures been adopted, 
they would soon have been carried away by the 
flood of intemperance. The rule had become 
almost a dead letter, and the Church had fallen 
asleep upon this subject, so that the evil was 
creeping in, as it were imperceptibly, when the 
voice of warning was heard, deep and loud, 
sounding in our midst ; this broke the dead 
slumber, and caused us to look around, to search 
our " Jerusalem, as with a lighted candle," and 
soon the "abomination which maketh desolate" 
was found lurking in the secret places of the 
sanctuary. From that time to this, we have 
been striving to banish the evil from the pre- 
cincts of the Church ; and it is confidently be- 
lieved that the restoration of Mr. Wesley's ori- 
ginal rule, and the steady efforts of God's min- 
isters and people, will finally gain a complete 
triumph over alcoholic drinks ; and, in conjunction 
with all others who are engaged in this noble 
cause, be instrumental in establishing the strict 
principles of temperance in every part of our 
land. 



126 



TEMPERANCE, 



It will be perceived by the attentive reader, 
that there has been a mighty improvement since 
1826, when the temperance reformation began 
its movements, even in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. And herein I am glad to acknowledge 
our indebtedness to a Congregational minister, 
the Rev. Mr. Hewitt, whose name ought to be 
enrolled among the benefactors of mankind, for 
reviving the principles and practice of tem- 
perance, and thus beginning the work which 
has eventuated in so much good to the souls 
and bodies of men; and for urging upon the 
churches the indispensable duty of setting an 
example to the world, of a strict adherence to 
the principles and duties of temperance ; while 
he and his friends must acknowledge that Mr. 
Wesley first broached the fact, that drunken- 
ness was destroying its thousands ; and that 
there was no other effectual way to save them 
from perdition, than by inducing them to break 
off from their sins by toning to God ; by re- 
pentance, and faith in Jesus Christ ; by which 
a thorough reformation would be effected — so 
thorough that the drunkard would become a 
sober, self-denying Christian. 

We will acknowledge that these warnings of 
the founder of our Church had become indis- 
tinctly heard by many among us at the time 



ITS IMPORTANCE. 



127 



Mr. Hewitt began to lift up his voice in favour 
of temperance. But by whatever instrumen- 
tality the reformation has been effected, we re- 
joice in beholding this manifest improvement, 
not only among ourselves, but also among all 
denominations of Christians ; and I should deeply 
lament any relapse into the former practice of 
moderate drinking ; much more, should the 
same " excess of riot " be revived, either in the 
high or low places of our nation. And here I 
wish to record my solemn conviction, that the 
temperance reformation is to be ranked among 
the most important, because among the most 
useful, the most highly beneficial, and the most 
intimately connected with the present peace and 
prosperity of mankind, and with their future 
hopes and felicity, of any other cause whatever. 



CHAPTER XV. 

An apology— God the Fountain of all good—His servants to be 
esteemed — Disputes among Christians a hindrance to the 
Gospel — Evangelical Alliance — Mr. Wesley proposed its prin- 
ciples eighty-six years since — Extracts from his letter to the 
clergy on this subject— Produced no immediate effect. 

I have some fears that I shall fatigue the reader 
by extending these chapters to an undue length ; 
but I must beg his patience. As the naturalist 



128 



GOD'S INSTRUMENTS. 



delights to trace a stream to its source, and the 
philosopher an effect to its cause, so does the 
Christian delight to trace the various philanthro- 
pic movements of the present day to their be- 
ginnings. In doing this I have no pride of sect 
to gratify — no human vanity to feed or inflame 
— nor yet any selfish ends to accomplish. 
" The good that is done upon the earth, God 
doeth it." " Xot by might, nor by power, but 
by my Spirit, saith the Lord." 

But though God is the Fountain whence pro- 
ceed all the streams of wisdom, truth, and good- 
ness, with which the children of men are re- 
freshed, yet the instruments He has seen fit to 
raise up, qualify, and send forth into his vine- 
yard, are to be honoured by his Church ac- 
cording to their worth, and we are commanded 
to " esteem them very highly in love for their 
works' sake," and to have them " in everlasting 
remembrance." Some, indeed, while they pro- 
fess a high regard for the honour and glory of 
God, endeavour to cover his most faithful ser- 
vants with reproach, as though they reflected 
the glory of God by falsifying the character of 
his servants. Let such remember, that in load- 
ing his servants with reproach, they indirectly 
aim a blow at the Godhead, whose perfections 
are shadowed forth in his most faithftd servants. 



CHRISTIAN PROFESSORS. 



129 



These are indeed the visible representatives of 
Jesus Christ, and therefore if we hate and per- 
secute them, we thereby show our hatred to 
Him whose image they reflect. 

One of the greatest hindrances to the spread 
of pure and undefiled religion, has been the ani- 
mosity manifested by the professed followers of 
the Lord Jesus towards one another. Though 
this has not been more apparent among pro- 
fessed Christians, with the exception of those 
persecutions which have been fomented at differ- 
ent times by the Roman Catholics towards the 
Protestants, and by some Protestants towards 
other Protestants, than it has among the sects 
of philosophers, yet it has ever been seized upon 
by the enemies of Christianity as an infallible 
mark of the insincerity, or at least of the incon- 
sistency of professed Christians ; for these say, 
and say very justly, that while Christians pro- 
fess a religion which breathes naught but love 
and good-will to men, they exhibit all the ran- 
cour of demons, slander and persecute each 
other in a variety of ways, and thereby give 
evidence that they are destitute of that very re- 
ligion which they profess to believe in, venerate, 
and enjoy. Now it must be confessed that 
there is too much ground for this objection. 
Though it be true that the real disciple of Jesus 
9 



130 



CHRISTIAN UNION. 



Christ, in every age of the Qhurch, has fur- 
nished irrefutable evidence that love is the pre- 
dominant principle of his heart, yet there have 
not been wanting fiery bigots, whose intemperate 
zeal has impelled them to acts of imprudence, 
of injustice, of persecution, by which they have 
disgraced themselves and the cause they pro- 
fessed to defend. These lamentable evils have 
always been a source of grief to the sincere fol- 
lower of Jesus Christ, and have led him to 
" weep between the porch and the altar, and to 
say, Spare thy people, good Lord, and give not 
thine heritage to the heathen.' ' 

This state of things, and this view of the sub- 
ject, have recently induced some of the evan- 
gelical Christians to adopt measures to remedy 
these evils, and to strive to bring all true lovers 
of the Lord Jesus into a closer harmony one 
with another. 

Whether the "Evangelical Alliance" shall 
ever obtain a permanent existence or not, it has 
already produced a result highly beneficial to 
the interests of true religion. It has tended to 
soften the asperities of sectarian feeling, to pare 
down the pride of sect, and to make the differ- 
ent denominations feel that they are embarked 
in a common cause, and that therefore, notwith- 
standing they differ on minor points of doctrine, 



WESLEY'S EFFORTS. 



131 



and vary in their modes of worship, and their 
formularies of devotion, they agree in the fun- 
damental truths of the Gospel, in all those 
facts and doctrines which are essential to salva- 
tion, and may therefore unite as " brethren be- 
loved" in one common brotherhood, bound to- 
gether in the strong cords of love and Christian 
fellowship. Having gained thus much, if the 
friends of the cause shall persevere in the same 
spirit of mutual good-will with which they have 
begun, they will acquire more and more strength, 
will commend their cause to the approbation of 
the good and pious of all orders, and thus be 
instrumental in diffusing the spirit of mutual 
forbearance, teaching all with whom they come 
in contact, that Divine Love " hopeth all things, 
beareth all things, rejoice th not in iniquity, but 
rejoiceth in the truth." 

But how has Methodism contributed to this 
result ? To this I answer, that John Wesley 
was the first to broach the idea of uniting all 
the evangelical clergy in one common brother- 
hood, and that too on the very principles adopted 
by the Evangelical Alliance as the basis of its 
union. Under date of April 19, 1764, he says : 
" I wrote a letter to-day, which after some time 
I sent to forty or fifty clergymen, with the little 
preface annexed : — 



132 



CHRISTIAN UNION. 



" Dear Sir, — It has pleased God to give you both the 
will and the power to do many things for his glory ; al- 
though you are often ashamed you have done so little, 
and wish you could do a thousand times more. This 
induces me to mention to you what has been upon my 
mind for many years, and what I am persuaded would 
be much for the glory of God, if it could once be ef- 
fected ; and I am in great hopes it will be, if you heart- 
ily undertake it, trusting in him alone. 

" Some years since, God began a great work in Eng- 
land ; but the labourers were few. At first those few 
were of one heart ; but it was not so long. Eirst one 
fell off, then another and another, till no two of us were 
left together in the work, besides my brother and me. 
This prevented much good, and occasioned much evil. 
It grieved our spirits and weakened our hands ; it gave 
our common enemies huge occasion to blaspheme. It 
perplexed and puzzled many sincere Christians ; it 
caused many to draw back to perdition ; it grieved the 
Holy Spirit of God. 

" As labourers increased, disunion increased. Offences 
were multiplied ; and instead of coming nearer to, they 
stood farther and farther off from, each other; till, at 
length, those who were not only brethren in Christ, but 
fellow-labourers in his Gospel, had no more connexion 
or fellowship with each other than Protestants have with 
Papists. 

" But ought this to be ? Ought not those who are 
united to one common Head, and employed by him in 
one common work, to be united to each other ? I speak 
now of those labourers who are Ministers of the Church 
of England. These are chiefly — 

" Mr. Perronet, Romaine, Newton, Shirley; Mr. Down- 
ing, Jesse, Adam; Mr. Talbot, Riland, Stillingneet, 



WESLEY'S VIEWS. 



133 



Fletcher; Mr. Johnson, Baddily, Andrews, Jane; Mr, 
Hart, Symes, Brown, Rouquet; Mr. Sellon; Mr. Venn, 
Richardson, Burnet, Furly ; Mr. Conyers, Bently, King j 
Mr. Berridge, Hicks, J. W., C. W., John Richardson, 
Benjamin Colley ; not excluding any other clergyman, 
who agrees in these essentials, — 

"I. Original sin. 

" II. Justification by Faith. 

cc HI. Holiness of heart and life ; provided their life 
be answerable to their doctrine. 

" £ But what union would you desire among these V 
Not a union in opinions. They might agree or disagree, 
touching absolute decrees on the one hand, and perfec- 
tion on the other. Not a union in expressions. These 
may still speak of the imputed righteousness, and those 
of the merits, of Christ. Not a union with regard to 
outward order. Some may still remain quite regular, 
some quite irregular; and some partly regular and 
partly irregular. But these things being as they are, as 
each is persuaded in his own mind, is it not a most de- 
sirable thing that we should, — 

" 1. Remove hindrances out of the way ? Not judge 
one another, not despise one another, not envy one an- 
other ? Not be displeased at one another's gifts or suc- 
cess, even though greater than our own 1 Not wait for 
one another's halting, much less wish for it, or rejoice 
therein ? Never speak disrespectfully, slightly, coldly, 
or unkindly of each other; never repeat each other's 
faults, mistakes, or infirmities, much less listen for and 
gather them up ; .never say or do anything to hinder 
each other's usefulness, either directly or indirectly ? Is 
it not a most desirable thing that we should — 

" 2. Love as brethren ? Think well of, and honour 



134 



CHRISTIAN UNION. 



one another 1 Wish all good, all grace, all gifts, all 
success, yea, greater than our own, to each other ? Ex 
pect God will answer our wish, rejoice in every appear- 
ance thereof, and praise him for it ? Readily believe 
good of each other, as readily as we once believed evil ? 
Speak respectfully, honourably, kindly of each other; 
defend each other's character; speak all the good we 
can of each other ; recommend one another where we 
have influence ; each help the other on in his work, and 
enlarge his influence by all the honest means he can 1 

" This is the union which I have long sought after $ 
and is it not the duty of every one of us so to do ? Would 
it not be far better for ourselves ? A means of promot- 
ing both our holiness and happiness 2 Would it not 
remove much guilt from those who have been faulty in 
any of these instances ? and much pain from those who 
have kept themselves pure'? Would it not be far bet- 
ter for the people, who suffer severely from the clashings 
and contentions of their leaders, which seldom fail to 
occasion many unprofitable, yea, hurtful disputes among 
them ? Would it not be better even for the poor, blind 
world, robbing them of their sport, — ' O, they cannot 
agree among themselves !' Would it not be better for 
the whole work of God, which would then deepen and 
widen on every side ? 

" - But it will never be ; it is utterly impossible.' 
Certainly it is with men. Who imagines we can do 
this ? that it can be effected by any human power ? 
All nature is against it, every infirmity, every wrong 
temper and passion ; love of honour and praise, of 
power, of pre-eminence; anger, resentment, pride; 
long-contracted habit, and prejudice lurking in ten thou- 
sand forms. The devil and all his angels are against 



PROPOSED BY WESLEY. 



135 



it. For if this takes place, how shall his kingdom stand 1 
All the world, all that know not God, are against it, 
though they may seem to favour it for a season. Let us 
settle this in our hearts, that we may be utterly cut off 
from all dependence on our own strength or wisdom. 

" But surely 1 with God all things are possible ; ? 
therefore 1 all things are possible to him that believeth 
and this union is proposed only to them that believe, 
that show their faith by their works. When Mr. C. 
was objecting the impossibility of ever effecting such a 
union, I went up stairs, and after a little prayer opened 
Kempis on these words : — Expecta Dominum : Viriliter 
age : Noli diffidere : Noli dicedere ; sed corpus et animam 
expone constanter pro gloria Dei. [Wait for the Lord : act 
manfully : do not distrust : do not give up ; but con- 
stantly expose body and soul for the glory of God.] I 
am, dear sir, your affectionate servant. J, W. 

"Scarborough, April 19, 1764." 

Here then is the very union among all the 
evangelical clergy, proposed by Mr. Wesley 
eighty-six years since, and which he tells us 
had long been on his mind. And though this 
earnest appeal to his brethren in the ministry 
was unheeded by most of them, yet the love 
that burned in his heart emitted a constant, even 
name, irradiating in different directions, soften- 
ing and illuminating all that came within its in- 
fluence, until it led the several sects of evan- 
gelical Christians to make a mighty effort to 
bring all pure-minded men under its controlling 
power. 



136 



CHRISTIAN UNION, 



CHAPTER XVI. 

The same subject continued — Difference between Wesley and 
Whitefield— Their interviews, in which Whitefield declines 
the proffer of union — More mature reflection altered his mind 
— The sentiments of Wesley embody the principles of the 
Evangelical Alliance — The author's publications on that sub- 
ject — Divine love essential to constitute Christian union. 

In the last chapter I endeavoured to show that 
the principles of the Evangelical Alliance had 
been broached by Mr. Wesley in the early pe- 
riod of his ministry, and that he strove to exem- 
plify them in his spirit and practice in every 
possible way. Perhaps no doctrine at that time 
caused greater uneasiness, or was the occasion 
of a sharper controversy, than the doctrine of 
high predestination, as taught by John Calvin 
and his followers. It was on this point that 
Wesley and Whitefield separated, being divided 
in opinion, though not in heart and affection — 
for they who knew each other's piety and in- 
tegrity always loved one another " with a pure 
heart fervently" — and even went so far as to 
preach against each other's peculiar opinions. 
Notwithstanding this partial separation, such 
was the strength of his attachment to White- 
field, and his ardent desire to unite with him in 
the great work in which they were mutually en- 



MR. WHITEFIELD, 



gaged, that Wesley wrote a letter to him, in 
which he made all the concessions a conscien- 
tious man could, and even went further than we 
could now do, to conciliate his brother in the 
ministry, that they might unite their strength 
and influence in opposing sin and winning souls 
to Jesus Christ. (Wesley's Works, vol. iii, 
p. 239.) 

What effect this had upon Mr. Whitefield I 
cannot tell, but it is presumed that he remained 
in the same mind he before manifested towards 
his old friend and fellow-labourer in the Gospel 
field. What that was may be seen in the fol- 
lowing extract from the Journal of Wesley : un- 
der date of Jan. 23, 1 741, he says : — 

" Having heard much of Mr. Whitefield's unkind be- 
haviour, since his return from Georgia, I went to him to 
hear him speak for himself, that I might know how to 
judge. I much approved of his plainness of speech. 
He told me he and I preached two different Gospels, 
and therefore he not only would not join with, or give 
me the right hand of Christian fellowship, but was re- 
solved publicly to preach against me and my brother, 
wheresoever he preached at all. Mr. Hall, who went 
with me, put him in mind of the promise he had made 
but a few days before, that, whatever his private opinion 
was, he would never publicly preach against us. He 
said, that promise was only an effect of human weak- 
ness, and he was now of another mind." 

I have made this quotation to show the sin- 



138 



CHRISTIAN UNION. 



cere desire of Wesley to live in Christian and 
ministerial fellowship with Whitefield, notwith- 
standing he strongly dissented from him on some 
doctrinal points. It appears, however, that the 
latter rejected this brotherly overture, because 
he thought that Wesley, in opposing the pecu- 
liarities of Calvinism, thereby sapped the foun- 
dation of the Gospel. Time, and more mature 
reflection, however, convinced him of his error 
in this respect, and taught him to believe that 
even the Arminian Wesley could be a good 
man, for in his will he left a mourning ring for 
his friend, as a token of his indissoluble fellow- 
ship with him, and likewise requested that, if he 
should die abroad, he should be selected to 
preach his funeral sermon — with which Mr. 
Wesley complied. 

This strong desire for a union with all the 
evangelical clergy was frequently expressed, 
and sometimes proposed in direct terms, but 
was uniformly rejected by most of them, the 
causes of which it is not necessaiy nor expedient 
now to trace. In Wesley's sermon, entitled 
" Catholic Spirit/' he expatiates more largely 
upon this topic, showing that a difference of 
opinion on some speculative points of minor im- 
portance need not hinder that union which re- 
sults from Divine love. He says : — 



THE EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. 139 



" But although difference of opinion or modes of wor- 
ship may prevent an entire external union, yet need it 
prevent our union in affection ? Though we cannot 
think alike, may we not love alike ? May we not be of 
one heart, though we may not be of one opinion? 
Without all doubt we may. Herein all the children of 
God may unite, notwithstanding their smaller differ- 
ences. These remaining as they are, they may forward 
one another in love and in good works." 

These sentiments embody, so far as I un- 
derstand them, the principles which lie at the 
foundation of the Evangelical Alliance, and are 
to govern its members and friends in their in- 
tercourse one with another. Mr. Wesley did 
not ask those who differed from him in opinion 
on some speculative points of doctrine, modes 
of worship, or forms of church government, to 
sacrifice any of their peculiarities in order to 
form the union which he desired ; provided they 
held to the Divine Head of the Church, be- 
lieved in his sacrificial death, the necessity of 
the Holy Spirit to enlighten and convict the sin- 
ner of his sinfulness, to enable him to repent, to 
believe in Jesus Christ "with a heart unto 
righteousness,' ' and actually enjoyed the love of 
God and man in the heart, he was not barely 
willing, but intensely desirous to unite with 
them in extending the Redeemer's kingdom 
among mankind. 



140 



CHRISTIAN UNION, 



And are not these the principles on which the 
Evangelical Alliance is founded ? Hence Pres- 
byterians, Congregationalists, Protestant Epis- 
copalians, Lutherans, Baptists, Methodist Epis- 
copalians, have agreed to sacrifice their respec- 
tive peculiarities, to forego their sectarian par- 
tialities, without at the same time abjuring any 
part of their creeds, or altering their modes of 
worship, or abrogating any part of their church 
order or government, and unite on the broad 
basis of God's universal good-will to man, and 
in the sweet principle of brotherly affection : 
and though each may preach his own peculiar 
doctrine, and believe and practise according to 
his views of Gospel order and ordinances, he 
may nevertheless recognize in his brother of 
another denomination a servant of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, engaged in the common cause of 
man's salvation ; and they may strive together 
for the faith of God's elect, and to " keep the 
unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace." And 
as I have before said, if no formal alliance shall 
be permanently established, the effort that has 
been put forth, and the exertions which are now 
making to diffuse these catholic principles, and 
to stretch this bond of union around all loving 
hearts, have had, and still exercise a most salu- 
tary effect on the views, the hearts, and the 



THE AUTHOR S VIEWS. 



141 



lives of all evangelical Christians who come 
within the range of this benign and heavenly 
principle. 

I trust my readers will bear with me for in- 
troducing myself so frequently in these pieces, 
and attribute it to the right motive, as it seems 
to me necessary to illustrate my views, and show 
the consistency of my conduct. I have been a 
man of war almost all my days. I have fought 
the CAm^-ians— the reader will put the empha- 
tic accent on the first syllable, as the word de- 
signates a sect nearly allied to the Arians — the 
Hopkinsians, Calvinists, and Protestant Episco- 
palians ; or rather have striven to defend the 
Methodists when they have been assailed by 
either of these denominations ; but in doing this 
I have been generally careful to distinguish be- 
tween what I considered the errors which I felt 
it my duty to combat, and the persons and 
Christian character of my antagonists ; that 
while I would give no countenance to the for- 
mer, I could fellowship the latter, provided only 
that their experience and life were in conformity 
to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And though I 
will not attempt to justify every expression I 
may have used, yet upon a review of my life 
and writings, I can reflect with unspeakable 
satisfaction upon the motives with which I have 



142 



CHRISTIAN UNION. 



been actuated, and humbly adore the " God of 
all grace" for preserving me from indulging in 
any bitterness of spirit, or from feeling any 
other than love and good-will to my antago- 
nists. For my numerous infirmities I have rea- 
son to be deeply humbled before God and man, 
and need continually the atoning merits of Jesus 
Christ to render either my person or works ac- 
ceptable in the sight of God. I think, under the 
like circumstances, I should do the same again, 
notwithstanding my love of Christian union. 

These remarks have been made for the pur- 
pose of introducing the following facts in respect 
to what I have done and written on the subject 
under consideration. In 1815 or 1816 I wrote 
a piece on Christian union among the different 
denominations, which was published in the 
Commercial Advertiser of this city, under an 
anonymous signature, embracing nearly the same 
principles as those embodied in the Evangelical 
Alliance. I saw soon after extracts from that 
piece in several papers, accompanied with com- 
ments favourable to the sentiments therein ex- 
pressed ; and the subject continued to be agi- 
tated until finally a small volume was published 
on the subject of Christian union, which doubtless 
led ultimately to the formation of the Alliance. 

While editor of the Christian Advocate and 



ITS NECESSARY BASIS. 



143 



Journal, I think about the year 1830, I wrote 
an article on the same subject, which was copied 
into a religious paper in London, came back to 
New- York, was republished, I believe, in the 
Religious Intelligencer, and its credit given to 
the English paper. This error I corrected at 
the time, giving the true paternity of the article. 

It is certainly matter of rejoicing to behold 
the different sects of evangelical Christians lay- 
ing aside their warlike character, so far as de- 
nouncing each other merely on account of dis- 
sentient views of minor importance are con- 
cerned, and agreeing to unite their influence to 
push forward the great principles of Divine 
truth, to the utmost extent of their strength, to 
the utmost bounds of the earth. To do this 
effectually, there must be a union of heart, such 
a union as can be cemented only by the " love 
of God being shed abroad in the heart by the 
Holy Ghost. " A union established merely upon 
certain leading principles, however true those 
principles are, will have no lasting effect. The 
heart must be imbued with holy love, which 
alone can beget a pure motive, and form the 
" single eye," the oneness of desire to promote 
the glory of God, among all those who would 
come into this union, or they never can work 
together for the faith of the Gospel. Oil and 



CHRISTIAN UNION. 



water can as soon unite as an unconverted man 
can unite with a truly converted man. " Make 
the tree good, and the fruit will be good also." 
The heart must therefore be changed by the in- 
ternal energies of the Holy Spirit, applying the 
merits of Jesus Christ, by which sin is washed 
away, and the soul is cleansed " from all filthi- 
ness of the flesh and spirit," in order to qualify 
a man to enter into that holy fraternity in which 
he can work successfully for the conversion of 
the world. This, and this alone, breaks down 
that supreme love of self by which all fallen 
men are distinguished, and which, so long as it 
predominates, prompts them to seek their own 
selfish ends, their own fame, riches, ease, self- 
aggrandizement, whatever may become of their 
neighbour ; and so long as this selfish principle 
reigns in the heart, and thereby becomes a mo- 
tive to action, the man can never unite to pro- 
mote any object that has not this same selfish 
end in view. And how diametrically opposite 
is this from the principle that actuates the holy 
Christian ! He strives in all his words and ac- 
tions to promote " peace on earth and good- 
will to men." Hence he is ready to unite his 
energies, to devote his time and substance, with 
all those of a kindred spirit, to advance the cause 
of Jesus Christ among men. 



GREAT REFORMATION. 



145 



CHAPTER XVII. 

A great reformation has been effected — So notorious that it is 
useless to contend with those that deny it — Former opposition 
to Methodism— Its causes—Pulpit and press against it— How- 
met and removed — Southey's Life of Wesley contributed to 
make him better known — Wesley's Works published and read— 
These seemed to remove prejudice, as they were read by other 
denominations— Clarke's Commentary was published— Exa- 
mined by other denominations — His learning and piety con- 
ceded — Its good effects — The hand of God shown in all these 
things. 

We have seen the influence which Methodism 
has exerted on the religious world, in producing 
those exertions in the missionary, tract, Sunday- 
school, and temperance cause, which have been 
beheld with exquisite delight by every pious 
mind, as well as in attracting towards each other 
all those whose hearts have been electrified by 
the fire of Divine love, which has been exempli- 
fied in uniting these together in extending the 
kingdom of " righteousness, peace, and joy in 
the Holy Ghost." 

That a mighty reformation has been wrought 
in these respects, less or more, among all de- 
nominations of Protestants, none competent to 
judge will attempt to deny. But should any 
one interpose his negation to this fact, I have 
nothing to say to him ; for he that can summon 
10 



146 



METHODISM OPPOSED. 



up courage enough to question its truth, will, 
with equal pertinacity, and imbecile ignorance, 
deny any fact, however notorious, which stands 
on the records of history ; and to undertake to 
answer such a "fool according to his folly" 
would be as great a waste of time and strength 
as it would be to attempt to silence the clamour 
of him who betrays his vanity and petulance by 
"answering a matter before he heareth it;" 
either of whom may well be left to himself, as 
being " wiser in his own conceit than seven men 
that can render a reason." 

To those, however, who are dispassionate 
enough to judge impartially, and who have not 
committed themselves to an opposite theory, I will 
submit a few evidences of the fact in question. 

The entire history of Methodism will show 
that in its commencement, and its onward pro- 
gress, until within a few years, it was violently 
opposed, by profane wit, by obscene sarcasm, 
sometimes, indeed, by sober argument, but much 
oftener by ridiculous caricatures, by all deno- 
minations, with but few exceptions, Papists and 
Protestants. Much of this opposition originated 
from ignorance — ignorance of the doctrines we 
taught, of our motives and manner of life — 
while its great moving cause was that hatred 
found in every unrenewed heart to the pure 



CAUSE OF THE OPPOSITION. 147 

doctrines of Christ, and especially to that great 
and leading truth of Divine revelation, justifica- 
tion by grace, through faith in the atoning merits 
of the Saviour of the world, and sanctification 
through the same medium. This grand doctrine 
struck at the root of all sin, namely, unbelief. 
It proposed to tear up, root and branch, that 
infidelity of the heart which impels men — not 
to reject Divine revelation, for the devil himself 
cares not how many of his subjects thus em- 
brace the truth of revealed religion, but — to 
reject the Lord Jesus Christ as an almighty 
Saviour, as a present Saviour, as now able and 
willing to " save to the uttermost all that come 
unto God by him." This cardinal truth of God 
the Methodists insisted upon with peculiar ve- 
hemence, and preached it because they pro- 
fessed to have an experimental knowledge of it 
in their own hearts. To maintain and to propa- 
gate this vital truth, and its correlatives, " love, 
peace, gentleness, goodness, joy, long-suffering, 
temperance/' including external obedience to 
the commands of God, they sacrificed ease and 
worldly honours, went out "into the highways 
and hedges," persevered "through good and 
evil report," not counting their " lives dear unto 
themselves, if they could win Christ, and be 
found in him, not having their own righteous- 



148 



METHODISM OPPOSED. 



ness which is of the law, but that which is 
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness 
which is of God by faith." In proclaiming this 
truth, urging it upon the people everywhere as 
a subject of personal experience, the evidence 
of which might, therefore, be tested by every 
believer's conscience — for they taught most dis- 
tinctly and explicitly that the " Spirit beareth 
witness with our spirits that we are the children 
of God" — they met, as I have before said, with 
violent opposition, not only from the ignorant 
rabble, but from " priests and Levites." The 
pulpits rang with fearful warnings against the 
dangerous heresies of these wild and ignorant 
fanatics, those "wolves in sheep's clothing," as 
they were contemptuously called, " who would 
deceive, if it were possible, the very elect." 

Not only the pulpit, but the press, was made 
to groan under the burden of the heavy com- 
plaints uttered against us. The pamphlet and 
the newspaper combined to blacken our charac- 
ter, to propagate the news of our heresies, and 
to render us odious in the public estimation. In 
the midst of all this opposition and obloquy, we 
held on our way, continued to preach the 
"same thing, and to mind the same rule." 
Some of the objections were answered. These 
answers were published. Our books were mul- 



IT GAINS GROUND. 



149 



tiplied, and at length we seized hold of the pe- 
riodical press, and this spoke out plainly and 
fearlessly, repelling the onsets of our antagonists, 
and stating our doctrines as they are, without 
reservation or disguise. This had the desired 
effect. The ignorant were enlightened, so that 
they could understand what Wesleyan Metho- 
dism is, and, when thus understood, it did not 
appear like that frightful monster they had been 
taught to believe it to be. Wesley's "Works 
were published. His Journals, Sermons, Doc- 
trinal Tracts, and miscellaneous pieces, were 
read by ministers of other denominations ; and 
though they did not agree with him in all things, 
they formed a favourable opinion of his piety, 
began to relish his evangelical principles, and 
were struck with admiration at the immensity 
of his labours, and the wisdom of his plans. 

Indeed, God seemed to make even the luke- 
warm and mistaken friends of Wesley contri- 
bute to exalt his worth. Southey may be con- 
sidered as such ; for I do not believe that he 
really meant to blacken his character. Being 
ignorant of that principle of Divine love by which 
Wesley was actuated, he, of course, could not 
understand the holy motive which guided all 
his actions, and, probably judging others by 
himself, he attributed to Wesley an unholy am- 



150 



METHODISM OPPOSED, 



bition to which he was an utter stranger. This 
led him to confound pure religion with enthu- 
siasm, and, in fact, to caricature it. But he 
published the life of "Wesley. His fame as a 
writer induced thousands to read it who had 
known nothing more of Wesley than what com- 
mon report had told them. And even looking 
at him through this perverted medium, they 
perceived excellences which won their admira- 
tion. Their attention and curiosity were roused 
to look deeper into the subject: and the more 
accurately they searched, the more were they 
convinced of their former erroneous views of 
Wesley's doctrine, character, and modes of ope- 
ration. In many instances their prejudices yielded 
to the force of truth, and were succeeded by a 
candid acknowledgment of the power of that 
genuine piety which dwelt in the heart, and 
was exemplified in the life, of Wesley. 

Thus, through the misguided judgment of 
man, the wisdom of God shone out, and " turned 
the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness," 
causing even the erring pen of Southey to por- 
tray the character of Wesley in such a light that 
its excellences shone all its imaginary deformities 
into darkness. This, indeed, was the fate, not 
only of the efforts of his mistaken friends, who 
misunderstood his character, and therefore placed 



CLARKE'S COMMENTARY. 151 

it in a false position ; but also of his avowed ene- 
mies, who designedly aspersed him, caricatured 
his theological sentiments, and vilified his mo- 
tives and conduct ; for his defences, whether 
written by himself or his friends, triumphantly 
vindicated him against all defamers. 

Other circumstances contributed to the same 
result. Clarke's Commentary was published. 
His fame as a scholar had preceded his Com- 
mentary on both sides of the Atlantic. When 
the Prospectus was issued for its publication in 
this country, in 1810, Dr. John Mason was re- 
quested to become its Editor. He replied, that 
he would do it from respect to its author, hav- 
ing formed an acquaintance with Dr. Adam 
Clarke in London, and therefore highly esteemed 
him as a man of profound learning and deep 
piety. This Commentary was subscribed for by 
ministers and others of different denominations, 
and I was told that several copies of it were 
taken at the Theological Seminary at Andover, 
in Massachusetts. How far this, and other oc- 
currences, might have contributed to modify the 
divinity taught in New-England, I presume not 
to say ; but that it has undergone a very con- 
siderable modification within a few years past, 
is evident to every person at all acquainted with 
the history of the Congregational and Presbyte- 



152 



METHODISM OPPOSED. 



rian Churches ; so much so, as to split the latter 
into two parts, denominated the Old School and 
New School Presbyterians. 

These, and other kindred publications, tended 
to make the Methodists better known; and 
though some of the doctrines set forth were 
sharply controverted by some, yet this fact is 
an evidence that they were read ; and the very 
controversy itself contributed to make them 
more extensively known, and the more exten- 
sively they were known, the more highly they 
were appreciated ; for the writers above alluded 
to were no novices in literature and theological 
knowledge ; but some of them were thorough 
scholars, deeply read in the sacred Scriptures, 
and could therefore " bring from their treasury 
things new and old." Dr. Clarke, especially, 
was acknowledged on all sides to be a man of 
thorough and extensive learning, of solid piety, 
of high classical and scientific attainments ; and 
though some affected to treat him with contempt 
on account of his peculiarities, and others strongly 
opposed him on those points on which he dis- 
sented from high-toned Calvinism, yet a]l were 
convinced that he was a commentator of emi- 
nent acquirements, of indefatigable industry, and 
thoroughly versed in Biblical literature. What 
renders his Commentary doubly valuable, in my 



CLARKE'S COMMENTARY. 153 

estimation, is, in addition to his able criticisms 
upon the original text, and his learned labours 
in philosophical, astronomical, and chronologi- 
cal researches, interspersed throughout his 
work, the deep vein of experimental and prac- 
tical piety which runs through the whole, and 
gives thereby a sanctified aspect to the entire 
volumes. A work of this character could not 
do otherwise than produce a salutary effect, just 
as extensively as it was read and heeded. That 
it was extensively read we know, and that it 
was even critically examined by some, is demon- 
strated from the fruitless efforts made to over- 
turn some of his positions ; and, perhaps, there 
are those who are much indebted to him for 
light and information, who are unwilling to ac- 
knowledge the source whence they derived their 
knowledge. Be this as it may, Dr. Clarke's 
writings contributed to enlighten the Christian 
world on the subject of Wesleyan Methodism — 
for he was thoroughly Wesleyan in all his dis- 
tinctive features — and thus to remove the un- 
founded prejudice which had been engendered 
against it by those who either misunderstood 
its character, or wilfully maligned it, from self- 
ish or bigoted motives.* 

° I must not be understood, from the above remarks, as 
endorsing all that Dr. Clarke has said, nor as acquiescing 



154 



CLOSING REMARKS. 



How far these, and other causes, which were 
at work, have tended to effect a change for the 
better in the religious community, must be re- 
served for a future chapter. In closing this, 
allow me to say, that I have not adverted to the 
above facts with a view to exalt Methodism as 
such, but simply to show the hand of God in so 
directing the course of events, as to make even 
"the wrath of man to praise him," while "the 
remainder" of wrath he will restrain; for Me- 
thodism, simply considered as ana.- ism of human 
contrivance, is of no more account than any 
other ism of the same origin ; but it is because 
I believe it to be, in its origin and progress, the 
work of God, that I hail it as a messenger of 
"good- will to men." 

in all his criticisms ; though I think it highly becomes me 
to say, that when I find myself induced to dissent from such 
men as Wesley and Clarke, I generally pause, review my 
ground, and deliberate long and prayerfully before I make 
up a decisive judgment. Those whose fertile imagination 
and expanded understanding may enable them to decide 
upon every subject presented to them, without any painful 
thought, may dispense with this sober deliberation, and, 
bringing the previous question to their aid, may despatch 
the business with but a moment's reflection. For my own 
part, I profess no such intuitive knowledge, and therefore 
think best to search, review, revise ; and more especially 
when I find myself in opposition to those giants in litera- 
ture and science, of theological knowledge and experience, 
who have irradiated the world by their light. 



THE SOURCE OF GOOD. 



155 



If any are disposed to dispute this fact, namely, 
that Methodism was raised up, and has been 
thus far sustained by the good hand of God, 
and therefore is eminently his work ; I hereby 
notify all such, that I am prepared to prove, by 
undeniable facts and irrefutable arguments, that 
it is so, though by no means exclusively so. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

God the original cause of all good— At the time Methodism arose 
pure religion at a low ebb — It was hence violently opposed — 
The objections met and obviated — How — The cause steadily 
advanced— The doctrine of sanctification avowed — It spread 
among other denominations — Mahan and Upham advocate it 
with ability — The blessed effects of this — The opposition in a 
great measure ceases — All evangelical ministers are uniting — 
The names of several mentioned— Methodism contributed to 
this — The author disclaims bigotry — Confirms his love to all 
sincere Christians. 

In the former chapter we have examined certain 
causes by which Methodism has exerted a salutary 
influence upon the Christian community. These 
causes, however, considered in connexion with 
other agencies, are but effects, — as all secondary 
causes are — produced by the first cause. So 
Methodism, with all its adjuncts, instrumentali- 
ties, or means of operation, is but an effect of 
that grace of God in Christ Jesus, which 
wrought mightily in the heart of Wesley, his 



156 INFLUENCE OF METHODISM, 

coadjutors and successors ; and this grace itself 
is the effect of the love of Jesus Christ, which 
caused him to die for the world ; and the death 
of Christ, with the whole scheme of redemption 
and salvation, was the effect of God's unbound- 
ed love to a lost world — " God so loved the 
world as to give his only begotten Son, that 
whosoever believeth on him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life." He, therefore, who 
accuses me of dealing in trifles, because I treat 
principally upon effects, would do well to re- 
member, that whatever subject is under investi- 
gation, considered relatively to the great First 
Cause, is but an effect, and an effect dependent 
upon an antecedent cause, which may often be 
too recondite, only as it may be referable to the 
original cause of all things, for human research 
to decipher. 

But without contending on a point so plain, let 
us inquire into the influence which Methodism 
has exerted on the religious world in respect to 
experimental and practical piety. It will be ac- 
knowledged on all hands, I believe, that at the 
time Methodism arose, pure religion — experi- 
mental religion — the religion of the heart — that 
which is " spread abroad in the heart by the 
Holy Ghost," was at a very low ebb among all 
sects and denominations, both in Europe and 



SANCTIFICATION. 



157 



America. This has already been sufficiently 
demonstrated in my preceding chapter. Well, 
how is it now ? Not only the doctrine of the 
new birth, or justification and its inseparable ac- 
companiment, regeneration, but that of sanctifi- 
cation, has gained ground, not only among 
ourselves — as I humbly trust it has of late years 
— but among other denominations. 

It is well known that this doctrine has met 
with more violent opposition from certain quar- 
ters than any other truth preached by us. To 
talk about being made " perfect in love " in this 
life, to be made "free from sin, properly so 
called," however cautiously guarded and mi- 
nutely explained, was considered, by most deno- 
minations, as among the wildest of fanaticism — as 
one of the most fatal presumptions that could 
delude the minds of mortals. It was in vain 
that we appealed to the sacred Scriptures, both 
of the old and New Testament, and to the ex- 
perience and prayers of God's people in every 
age of the Church, for the truth of this doctrine. 
It was opposed, and treated with contempt by 
all orders of Christians, and, I would charitably 
hope, chiefly because it was misunderstood by 
most of those who so violently opposed it. 

To the objections that were seriously made, we 
answered. We produced proofs from Scripture 



158 INFLUENCE OF METHODISM. 

which, declare, that " If the Son make you free, 
you shall be free indeed." "Likewise reckon 
ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but 
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
" What shall we say, then ? Shall we live in 
sin that grace may abound ? God forbid. How 
shall we that are dead to sin live any longer 
therein?" These and the like texts of sacred 
Scripture were quoted and explained in confor- 
mity to Wesley's view of the doctrine, and quo- 
tations were made from his writings on this 
subject; his " Plain Account of Christian Per- 
fection " was printed in a tract, and extensively 
circulated, in which he states the doctrine clearly, 
defining his meaning accurately, obviating objec- 
tions, and showing the distinction between sin, 
properly so called, and those infirmities insepa- 
rable from human nature. The luminous writ- 
ings of Fletcher were also widely circulated, 
and more especially those parts which treat 
upon this branch of Christian experience and 
practice. Others wrote, and in addition to ar- 
guments drawn from Scripture and reason, con- 
firmed the truth by relating their own experience. 
A periodical, called a " Guide to Holiness," was 
and is published in Boston, Mass., in which va- 
rious writers plead the cause of entire sanctifica- 
tion to God, while many relate their experience 



MAHAN AND UPHAM. 



159 



of this great blessing. All these are so many 
streams issuing from the same fountain of Divine 
love, and flow forth to water Immanuel's land. 

Nor have they lost themselves in the barren 
desert, or been absorbed in the sands of formal- 
ism, or yet confined their refreshing influences to 
our own enclosures. They have, in fact, over- 
flowed the banks thrown around our own fields, 
and have watered the fields of our neighbours. 
As an evidence of this, I may mention the writ- 
ings of President Mahan, of the Oberlin Insti- 
tute, whose treatise upon this subject, in which 
he relates his own experience, clearly demon- 
strates his altered views in the right direction, 
and proves him to be a holy minister of the 
Lord Jesus, and an able advocate of the doctrine 
of Christian perfection. I should be ashamed 
to contend with him on account of some discre- 
pancies between us of minor importance, so long 
as he holds fast, as I think he does, to the fun- 
damental parts of Christian holiness, and recom- 
mends it as a subject of personal, heartfelt, 
conscious experience. 

Professor Upham, also, whose writings in the 
department of Mental Philosophy have won for 
him a wide reputation, as an able and acute 
metaphysician, clothing his thoughts in language 
of classical elegance and chaste simplicity, has 



160 INFLUENCE OF METHODISM. 

dedicated his pen to this important subject, a 
subject of all others the most important to the 
best interests, present and eternal, of mankind. 
I have read his treatises with unmixed delight ; 
and although I might not agree with him in all 
his phraseology, yet he certainly accords with 
the Methodists in all the leading particulars 
which go to make up the essence of the interior 
life, the life of faith, and the entire sanctification 
of the soul. And certainly he has the same 
right to select his own phraseology, provided he 
keeps to the Scripture standard, as I believe he 
does, as I have to adopt my own. 

I cannot but consider the acquisition of such 
a man from another denomination, so widely 
known as a writer on metaphysics, so deeply 
read in the human heart, and in whose integrity 
all have the utmost confidence, as "great gain" 
to the cause of truth and holiness. 

How many converts these two eminent men 
may have made I cannot tell. But they doubt- 
less have exerted a powerful influence among 
their respective readers, and many would believe 
them whose sectarian prejudices would not al- 
low them to listen to a Methodist writer. And 
it matters but little by what instrumentalities 
converts are made, so that they are converted 
to " the truth as it is in Jesus." 



REVIVAL OF RELIGION". 161 

These facts prove most incontestable that ex- 
perimental religion, in its deepest and most holy- 
form, is on the advance among other denomina- 
tions of Christians. I do not say that this doc- 
trine of entire sanctification is generally received 
and taught by other churches. All I wish to inti- 
mate is, that it has attracted the attention of some 
eminent writers, who have heartily embraced it, 
and have, accordingly, recommended it to their 
readers, with all the ardour of sincere believers, 
and all the ability of acute and profound theologi- 
ans ; and that thus an entrance has been made into 
the citadel of prejudice, so that we may hope 
that it will ere long yield to the force of truth 
■ — truth plied by the hands of such men as 
Mahan and Upham, and others engaged in the 
same holy warfare. 

But, though this grand doctrine of the Gospel 
is formally embraced by comparatively few of 
other denominations, yet it is evident as any de- 
monstration in Euclid, that experimental religion, 
in the common acceptation of these words, has 
revived, less or more, among almost all orders 
and denominations of professed Christians. Time 
was, and that not long since, when the doctrine 
of the new birth, with the knowledge of forgive- 
ness of sins, the witness and fruits of the Spirit, 
was ridiculed by many Protestant ministers as a 
11 



162 INFLUENCE OF METHODISM. 

groundless fancy, having its seat in a heated 
imagination, and as only fit to delude ignorant 
fanatics, or to lead " silly women astray, laden 
with their sins." There were, to be sure, 
always some honourable exceptions to this heavy 
censure, but the generality were leagued against 
what now are popularly called "revivals of 
religion." 

How is it now ? Though there may be some 
who do not heartily embrace the doctrine above 
designated, and do not, therefore, zealously ad- 
vocate religious revivals, very few, comparatively, 
will risk their reputation as Christian ministers 
by openly opposing them ; while the great pro- 
portion, indeed all who may be rightly called 
evangelical, preach and pray for the revival and 
spread of inward and outward piety. I could 
mention a number of distinguished ministers, 
both in Europe and America, both in the island 
of Great Britain and on the Continent, in the 
Established Church of England and among the 
dissenters, in the Free Church of Scotland and 
among the Protestants of France and Germany, 
as well as among the Protestant Episcopalians, 
Presbyterians, Dutch Reformed, and the Con- 
gregationalists, in this country, who are zeal- 
ously engaged for the promotion of experimental 
and practical piety, some of whom are adopting 



PIOUS MEN. 



163 



every means within their grasp for its revival 
and diffusion, both at home and abroad. It 
might, seem invidious to single out individuals as 
belonging to this class of evangelical ministers, 
but I can hardly deny myself the pleasure of 
mentioning a few of the most distinguished of 
their respective denominations, such as Baptist 
Noel, lately of the English Church ; Bickersteth, 
of the same Church ; Monod, of France ; Tholuck, 
of Germany ; D'Aubigne, of Geneva ; Wardlaw 
and Anderson, of Scotland ;* James and Jay 
among the dissenters of England ; M'llvaine and 
Potter, Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal 
Church in the United States ; Tyng, of the same 
Church ; Spring and Baird, of the Presbyterian 
Church; De Witt, of the Reformed Dutch 
Church ; Stuart and Cheever, of the Congrega- 
tional Church, and Cone, of the Baptist Church. 
These all, and how many others I cannot tell, 
agree in urging upon mankind the necessity of 
inward, experimental religion. 

It must not be understood that I suppose that 
all these agree with us in many particulars, 

* The late Dr. Chalmers exerted a powerful influence in 
favour of experimental religion while he lived, and his 
works are speaking for him since his death. His eulogy of 
Methodism — that is, "Christianity in earnest," — has been 
often quoted. 



164 INFLUENCE OF METHODISM. 

which are considered of great importance, and 
about which we may innocently dispute ; nor 
that they agree among themselves concerning 
certain rites and ceremonies, or on some specu- 
lative points of doctrine and church order ; all 
I contend for is, that these, and others of a like 
spirit, will agree to disagree on those points re- 
specting which they cannot think and believe 
alike, while they are prepared to " contend ear- 
nestly for the faith once delivered to the saints," 
as it regards the fall of man, the necessity of 
repentance, of faith in Christ, justification 
through the blood of Christ, regeneration by 
the Holy Spirit, and the necessity of furnishing 
an evidence of the reality of this change of 
heart by a blameless life and conversation. 

They may not agree with us in our definition 
of the new birth, nor accord to our phraseology 
concerning the direct witness, and its inseparable 
companion, the fruits of the Spirit; while re- 
specting the thing itself, the reality of the new 
birth, or justification by grace, through faith, 
and regeneration, and that this is uniformly fol- 
lowed by obedience to the commands of God, I 
apprehend there is no essential or material 
difference ; and that while we hail them as effi- 
cient co-workers in the Gospel field, they will 
allow that we are so far orthodox that they can 



BIGOTRY DISCLAIMED. 



165 



fellowship us as co-labourers in the same field. 
And if we are indeed in possession of that Di- 
vine love which is " shed abroad in the heart 
by the Holy Ghost," as we unquestionably are 
if we are truly regenerated, and have received 
the " Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry, 
Abba, Father," though we may dispute on mi- 
nor points, we shall dispute in love, not betray- 
ing that anger which stirs up strife, but exhibit- 
ing that " charity which is not easily provoked, 
is not puffed up, but is kind, thinketh no evil, 
beareth all things, hopeth all things." 

Now, that Methodism has contributed much 
to bring about this altered state of things, is 
what I most conscientiously and most fully be- 
lieve, and therefore hope I may not be accused 
of narrow-hearted bigotry for proclaiming the 
fact. At my time of life, there is but a slender 
motive for the indulgence of bigotry ; and if at 
any time I may have been tinctured with it, the 
knowledge I have acquired from nearly fifty 
years' experience, among a people who have ex- 
hibited their full share of human infirmities, has 
had a great tendency to do it away ; while the 
same knowledge enables me to say, with equal 
sincerity, that the great majority, both preachers 
and people, have been, and are now, striving to 
establish the cause of pure religion on the earth. 



166 INFLUENCE OF METHODISM. 

Yet if any contend otherwise, that this reforma- 
tion has been effected independently of Metho- 
dism, and by other instrumentalities, I will not 
disturb either my own or his tranquillity by con- 
troverting the point with him, but will still re- 
joice in the knowledge of the fact that " Christ 
is preached, whether in pretence or in truth 
that his religion is prevailing among the apostate 
sons of men, by whatever instrumentality, 
whether by Methodists, Presbyterians, Pro- 
testant Episcopalians, Baptists, or Congrega- 
tionalists, or whether by all and each of them. 
In this belief, and in this state of mind, I enjoy 
unspeakable satisfaction, and am prepared to 
unite with all those who "love the Lord Jesus 
Christ in sincerity," whether they stand or 
kneel in prayer, whether they pray with or 
without a book, whether they dress with or 
without a surplice, in extending the Redeemer's 
kingdom among men. If they treat me as a 
heretic I cannot help it. I may love them still, 
and that in spite of them. If my more immedi- 
ate brethren think me too charitable, neither 
can I help that, nor does it diminish my affec- 
tion for them. I must still enjoy the pleasing 
belief that the religion of love is advancing in 
the world. 



EXPERIMENTAL RELIGION. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Influence of the Gospel— United influence of Christians— Experi- 
mental religion inseparably connected with keeping the com- 
mandments — The present state of the world highly favourable 
—Comparative view — Its former state — The patriarchal — Mo- 
saic— Israelitish— The time of our Saviour — Church and State 
— The time of the Reformation — Later times — All worse than 
the present — Though many pure spirits were found in those 
times, yet their sufferings prove the general wickedness — 
Intolerance of Christians towards each other — These facts 
prove that the present are better than the former times. 

I have substituted the word Gospel for Metho- 
dism, for the purpose .of comprehending the seve- 
ral denominations of orthodox Christians in the 
grand work of conquering the world to Jesus 
Christ. So far as they lend their influence in 
favour of experimental and practical religion, so 
far they work jointly in promoting the cause of 
man's salvation. And when I speak of experi- 
mental and practical religion, I mean to be un- 
derstood as expressing something in opposition 
to mere formalism, to mere creeds and confessions 
of faith ; for these, however orthodox they may 
be, do not constitute the essence of that religion 
of the heart which is comprehended in the phrase, 
experimental and practical religion ; and I join 
these two together for the purpose of showing 
that they are inseparably connected ; that wher- 



168 



THE GNOSTIC HERESY. 



ever this religion exists in the heart, it will show 
itself in the life ; for St. John says, " If any man 
saith that he loveth God, and keepeth not his 
commandments, he is a liar." The keeping the 
commandments of God, therefore, is, in the opin- 
ion of the apostle, a practical illustration of the 
love of God in the heart ; and by keeping the 
commandments he must have meant an outward 
obedience, else he did but use a senseless tauto- 
logy, for he had already spoken of the internal 
principle by calling it "the love of God;" and 
hence to say that he meant by "keeping the 
commandments of God," the same as having the 
love of God in the heart, amounts to this, and 
nothing more; "He that saith he loveth God, 
and loveth him not, is a liar," which, though true 
in itself, would be such a mere truism as would 
have been unworthy of the lips of the apostle. 
His object doubtless was, to annihilate, with the 
single stroke of his pen, the Gnostic heresy, that 
all religion consisted in knowing God, so that, 
however vicious men's lives, if they did but know 
God as a God of love, they were nevertheless 
good Christians. In flat contradiction to this 
shameless heresy, the apostle affirms, " He that 
committeth sin," by not " keeping the command- 
ments of God," "is of the devil, for the devil 
sinneth from the beginning." 



THE WORLD IMPROVED. 



169 



It is in fact one of the most practical demon- 
strations a person can give of Gnosticism, to pre- 
tend that he can wilfully violate any precept of 
the moral code, as expressed in the ten command- 
ments, and yet enjoy the love of God in his heart, 
for "love is the fulfilling of the law." 

Having made these remarks, to prevent any 
one from supposing that I advocate a religion 
that is not an active principle, that does not ex- 
emplify itself by a righteous life, I proceed to 
show how this religion has contributed to effect 
that altered state of things in the world which is 
now beheld with such exquisite delight and glow- 
ing gratitude. To do this, however, we must 
glance at the former state of things, that our 
present privileges may appear the greater from 
contrast. 

I presume to say that the world, taking that 
word in the most comprehensive sense, as in- 
cluding every part of the inhabited world, whe- 
ther Pagan, Mohammedan, Catholic, or Protes- 
tant, never was in so favourable a state since the 
introduction of sin as it is at the present time, for 
the propagation of pure and undefiled religion. 
We may select any period we please in the his- 
tory of the world for the comparison, and the 
scale will turn in favour of the present period. 
How soon was it after the sin of Eve and Adam 



170 



STATE OF THE WORLD. 



that the earth drank the blood of Abel, by the 
murderous hand of his brother Cain, and mere- 
ly "because his own works were evil, and his 
brother's righteous ?" And so rapidly had crime 
accumulated, that about the middle of the seven- 
teenth century from the creation, God swept all 
the inhabitants, with the exception of eight per- 
sons, from the earth by an overwhelming flood. 
And who that reads the history of our race from 
that memorable period, but must be struck with 
seeing the abominations which prevailed among 
the great proportion of the inhabitants of our 
fallen world ! Look at the history of Abraham, 
of Moses, of the children of Israel, and see with 
what virulent persecution, "blood, and murder 
they had to contend ! 

How was it at the time our Saviour appeared 
in the form of man ? Alas for the wickedness of 
the times ! Trace the history of the Church es- 
tablished at Jerusalem till the time of Constan- 
tine, and what cruel persecutions and martyrdoms 
did the Christians suffer during all that period 
of above three hundred years ! Crimes of the 
deepest dye stained not only the hands of the 
ignorant rabble, but disgraced forever the noblest 
of the nations, and stamped heathen Rome with 
everlasting infamy. 

And what shall be said of the Church from 



CHURCH AND STATE. 



Ill 



the time it was incorporated with the State, un- 
der the imperial banner ? Instead of that being, 
as some have imagined, the happy era when the 
New Jerusalem came down from heaven to dwell 
among men, it was rather the hour when smoke 
issued from the bottomless pit, obscuring the 
peculiar glories of the Gospel, until they were 
finally enveloped in midnight darkness. No 
sooner were the bishops exalted to honour by 
the munificence of Constantine, whose conversion 
to Christianity was of a very doubtful character, 
than pride began to show itself, pompous rites 
and ceremonies were adopted, until, finally, step 
by step, Popery was established in all its unscrip- 
tural aspects, and its anti- christian features. 
Hence the dark ages of the Church, which lasted 
for nearly twelve centuries, during all which time, 
though there was doubtless here and there a pure 
spirit, and also small isolated communities, who 
sighed in secret over the abominations of the 
earth, yet the great majority were carried away 
with the floods of ungodliness, and pure religion 
was lost amid the whirlpools of human ambition, 
sensual pleasure, and worldly glory. So it re- 
mained until the Reformation commenced. 

And need we any other evidence of the wicked- 
ness of the nations, from the time Wiclif arose in 
England, Huss and Jerome in Bohemia, Luther 



172 STATE OF THE WORLD. 

and Melancthon in Germany, Calvin in Geneva, 
Knox in Scotland, Cranmer and his coadjutors 
in Great Britain, until the Revolution effected by 
the reign of William and Mary, in 1688, than to 
behold the opposition, the cruel persecutions, im- 
prisonments, and deaths, which were inflicted 
upon all who dissented from the established re- 
ligion ? Even the soil of New-England, the land 
of the Puritans, was drenched with the blood of 
the Quakers, and Williams was banished from 
Massachusetts for preaching what he conscien- 
tiously believed to be the truth. Indeed the 
whole history of the Reformation, from its incipi- 
ent steps down to its completion, is but a record 
of " wickedness in high places" on the one hand, 
and of patient suffering on the other; and no 
sooner did the Protestants obtain the dominion 
than they exhibited the intolerance of their spirit 
by persecuting those who dissented from them. 
So little was the spirit of religious toleration un- 
derstood in those times ! 

If we come down to later times, we shall find 
the same evidences of the wickedness of mankind 
exhibited in their conduct one toward another. 
Not only among the nations of Europe, Asia, and 
Africa, but also in our own country, in the mid- 
dle of the eighteenth century, during our revo- 
lutionary struggle, and for some time thereafter^ 



SAINTLY VIRTUES. 1*73 

infidelity was rife in all our borders, profane 
swearing, drunkenness, and almost every abomi- 
nation, infected nearly all ranks of society. 

Now I do not mean to say that there were none 
righteous during all this time. Such a saying 
would be in the highest degree preposterous. 
We know that there appeared at different times, 
both under the old and new dispensations, some 
of the noblest spirits which ever adorned and 
dignified human society. And never did saintly 
virtue rise to a higher pitch, or shine out more 
brilliantly, than it did in some of the ancient pa- 
triarchs, in the primitive Christians, among the 
reformers, and among the Puritans and others. 
But what I mean to say is, that the very manner 
in which those saintly virtues were tested, the 
sufferings and the deaths which were inflicted 
upon those saints, prove to a demonstration that 
wickedness reigned triumphantly, and that in the 
most favoured times the principles of religious 
toleration were but imperfectly understood, and 
less exemplified in practice. The fires of perse- 
cution, among Pagans, Catholics, and Protestants, 
which burned so furiously against the minor sects, 
sending them to the prison, to the scaffold, and 
to the stake, attest the truth of the above state- 
ment, while, since the penal laws against dissen- 
tient Christians have been either repealed or 



STATE OF THE WORLD, 



treated as a dead letter, the opposition which has 
been manifested against, and the ridicule which 
has been poured upon experimental Christianity 
by mere nominal professors of religion, show how 
unwilling such are that pure and undefiled reli- 
gion should predominate in the hearts of men. 

Nothing shows more strikingly the imperfect 
manner in which the true spirit of Christianity 
was understood than the fact, that no sooner did 
one sect gain the predominance in any country 
than it enacted and executed penal laws against 
all other sects, vainly supposing that conscience 
could be forced to acquiesce in the dogmas which 
it could not believe, and that the religion of love 
could be propagated "by knocks and blows." 
Thus, while Luther was contending against Leo 
X., Leo X. persecuted Luther ; but when Lu- 
theranism was established by law it could pro- 
scribe all others. While Calvin was contending 
against Romanism he cried out against persecu- 
tion; but when Calvinism became predominant 
in Holland, it could condemn and proscribe the 
Arminians, in the persons of the Remonstrants 
at the Synod of Dort. While Cranmer and his 
associates were labouring to effect a reformation 
in England, they were persecuted unto "the 
death" by their enemies ; but no sooner was the 
Church of England established by law than it 



SIGNS OF PROGRESS. 



175 



turned persecutor of the Puritans, and all others 
who dissented from the religion of the State. 
And no sooner had these very Puritans establish- 
ed themselves in their new abode in the wilds 
of America than they turned around and perse- 
cuted the Quakers, and hung the witches. 

I have alluded to these facts to show how very 
imperfectly the laws of reciprocal rights were 
understood by our ancestors, and how much they 
were under the influence of that ancient code, 
done away by our Saviour, " An eye for an eye, 
and a tooth for a tooth," and governed by the 
false maxim, " that power gives right." Hence 
those exclusive laws which protected one sect 
and condemned all the rest. Hence also I say 
that the principles of toleration, which secure to 
all equally the right, and those laws which pro- 
tect every one equally in the privilege of worship- 
ping God according to the dictates of his own 
conscience, were neither understood nor practised 
by any sect that happened to have the predomi- 
nance in the state. Thank God ! this age of 
intolerance is passed away in the great portion 
of Christendom, as well as in some heathen lands, 
and I humbly trust, nay, I fully believe, that it 
is fast passing away in those portions of the world 
where superstition and intolerance still reign. 
The illustration of this fact must be reserved for 



1Y6 



RELIGIOUS TOLERATION. 



a future chapter, and it will present one of the 
most cheering prospects, next to the heavenly- 
vision, upon which the pious mind can possibly 
dwell. In the mean time let us adore the God 
of all grace for what he has done, and is now 
doing for the children of men. 



CHAPTER XX. 

The evils of civil or religious despotism— Altered state of things 
for the better — Produced by pure religion — The hand of God 
seen in this— Labours of Simpson and Buchanan, and other 
Missionaries— British and Foreign and American Bible Socie- 
ties — All these tended to break down bigotry and establish a 
catholic spirit— The contrast between the present and former 
times striking — Bright hope for the future. 

We have taken a short survey of the state of 
the world, from the sin of Adam nearly to the 
present time, and have seen how generally wick- 
edness prevailed, and more especially how the 
principles of intolerance were incorporated in all 
the religious establishments then existing. But 
since the beginning of the eighteenth century there 
has been a gradual improvement, until now the 
principles of religious toleration are more gene- 
rally understood and exemplified in practice 
among the several nations of the earth. 

What has produced this alteration for the bet- 
ter ? To this I answer, and I believe it is the 



CIVIL LIBERTY. 



Ill 



only correct answer which can be given, that it 
% the influence of Gospel truth upon the under- 
standings and consciences of mankind — that in- 
fluence which penetrates the heart, converts the 
sinner into a saint, and makes him a " new crea- 
ture.' ' When the sinner is thus created anew, 
the laws of God are written upon his heart, and 
that law which requires us to do as we would 
be done by, in a change of circumstances, exerts 
a controlling effect upon the conscience ; and 
hence those who are governed by it can no more 
oppress their fellow-men, abridge any of their 
rights, or inflict pains and penalties for diffe- 
rence of opinion, than they can wish those acts 
of injustice should be visited on themselves. 
The light of this truth, reflected from the throne 
of God on the renewed Christian's heart, is not 
confined there ; its rays shoot forth in every 
direction, and the world around him becomes 
enlightened. And so the principles of civil as 
well as religious liberty have been widely dif- 
fused among the nations, by which means the 
bands of sectarian jealousy have been broken, 
denominational pride and bigotry have been, 
in a great measure, destroyed, and, as a conse- 
quence, civil despotism has lost its hold in many 
places, and is fast losing its hold in others. 
Through this benign influence the minds of states- 
12 



118 



MISSIONS. 



men have been enlightened, religious and civil 
bigotry has been weakened, and the principles of 
civil liberty have imbedded themselves in the hu- 
man heart, and the folly of religious intolerance 
is seen in its own odious and hateful character. 

It is easy to trace the hand of God in bring- 
ing about these delightful results. What a 
flood of light was shed on this subject by Simp- 
son's "Plea for Religion," and how was this 
light increased by Buchanan's " Star in the 
East," in which is related how that intrepid 
missionary penetrated the dungeon of Roman- 
ism in Goa, in the Portuguese dominions in the 
East. Ward, Morrison, and Coke, and a host 
of other men of God, either went themselves, or 
were instrumental in sending others, to explore 
the dark dominions of superstition, error, and 
idolatry, and they sent back their reports of the 
sad state of things which they beheld, and called 
for additional labourers to enter the rugged 
field. They went at the call, and thus the mis- 
sionaries of the cross visited almost every land 
and nation under heaven, at first indeed very 
timidly, finding a cautious prudence necessary, 
to prevent or allay prejudice, and to " prepare 
the way of the Lord " in those dense and dark 
wildernesses where the rays of Gospel light had 
not penetrated. 



MISSIONS. 



179 



These missionaries of different sects and deno- 
minations, meeting together in foreign and heathen 
lands, soon felt the necessity of leaving their secta- 
rian partialities and denominational peculiarities 
at home, for bigots to contend about, and of unit- 
ing their forces and combining their strength for 
one undivided onset upon the strongholds of sin 
and Satan. Having to combat the spirit of intole- 
rance which they found reigning in Mohammedan 
and heathen countries toward Christianity, they 
saw its hateful character, deplored its withering 
effects upon the human soul, and lamented over 
those despotisms which had long bound the con- 
sciences of men in their " slavish chains ;" and 
accordingly they set themselves at work to coun- 
teract its influence, by softening, through the 
bland truths of the Gospel, the hearts of the 
oppressors of mankind, and to plead for liberty 
to worship Him " who hath made of one blood 
all the nations of the earth/' according to the 
dictates of an enlightened conscience. 

Thus the labours of the missionaries contri- 
buted mightily to relax the hold by which in- 
tolerance had long held so many nations in 
bondage. They felt, indeed, that if it was 
wrong for Mohammedanism and heathenism to 
abridge their rights, it was equally wrong for 
Christians, so called, to proscribe each other; 



ISO 



BIBLE SOCIETIES. 



and that, if it was essential for them, in order to 
pursue their high vocation with success among 
the heathen, to love one another, and to exem- 
plify that love by a' union of affection and effort, 
it was equally so among Christians at home. 
Thus the light of divine truth which shone upon 
their minds in heathen lands, by a reflex action, 
tended to enlighten the lands whence they 
came. 

Almost simultaneously with these movements 
among the churches of Jesus Christ, the Bible 
Society commenced its operations, first in Eng- 
land, and then in the United States. At the 
formation of this society in England, the rare 
sight was beheld in its board of managers, of 
Episcopalians, Independents, Methodists, Bap- 
tists, and Quakers, all uniting together to send 
the Holy Scriptures, without note or comment, 
to all the nations of our globe. The same 
catholic spirit was exhibited at the establish- 
ment of the American Bible Society. And 
never, surely, was a fitter or broader platform 
laid for all sects to stand upon than that of a 
Bible Society so formed and conducted ; for 
who that believes in divine revelation can with- 
hold his assent from, or refrain from giving his 
hearty assistance to, an association formed for 
the purpose of inculcating, as extensively as 



THEIR GOOD EFFECTS, 



181 



possible, that Bible which contains such a reve- 
lation in all its perfection. ? 

That this noble and truly philanthropic insti- 
tution has mightily contributed to do away de- 
nominational jealousies, and to pare off the sharp 
edges of sectarian rivalship, not only by uniting 
all the orthodox Christians in its counsels, and 
employing them as equally as may be in its 
agencies, but in distributing its Bibles among all 
classes that will receive them, whether infidels, 
Jews, Mohammedans, heathens, Catholics, or 
Protestants — excluding none from the embrace 
of its charity who will not exclude themselves — 
who will attempt to deny ? What a monument of 
the most enlarged benevolence is this ! What 
an honour to the Christianity of the nineteenth 
century! And what a demonstration of the 
catholicity of that religion which the Bible in- 
culcates ! 

That the labours of these, namely, The British 
and Foreign, and American Bible Societies, and 
their various auxiliaries in Europe and America, 
have greatly tended to advance the cause of 
Christian liberality, to sap the foundation of re- 
ligious intolerance, and thereby to open the way 
for the universal spread of the Gospel, who can 
doubt? Their boards of managers are com- 
posed of members of different churches, their 



182 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



agents are ministers of several denominations, 
and thus Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Me- 
thodists, and Episcopalians fraternize together, 
and interchange- — with the exception of the latter 
— each other's pulpits, particularly when they 
plead the Bible cause. This makes them better 
acquainted with each other, and consequently 
leads them more justly to appreciate one ano- 
ther's " gifts, grace, and usefulness." 

But by whatever causes, means, or instrumen- 
talities these happy results have been effected, 
the fact itself is indisputable, that such a refor- 
mation has been wrought among almost all na- 
tions, that those external barriers which origi- 
nated from civil despotism and religious intole- 
rance have been, in a great measure, removed, 
and that a way is thus opened for the feet of 
the missionary, with the Bible in his hand, the 
love of God in his heart, and the words of truth 
on his lips, to enter unmolestedly and proclaim 
" Jesus and the resurrection." What a revolu- 
tion has thus been effected ! And how striking 
the contrast between these and former days ! 
Formerly, in every age, with but few excep- 
tions, the minority was persecuted by the ma- 
jority, and often the sincere Christian had to 
wade through rivers of blood in order to main- 
tain his integrity, and arrive at the end of his 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



183 



race. Now he passes along, not only in peace, 
but generally protected in his rights and privi- 
leges by the state in which he resides. Even 
in Mohammedan and heathen lands, the mis- 
sionary is permitted to enter, to reside, to travel, 
to preach and pray, to build churches, to circu- 
late the Bible, and to do all which the Lord his 
God has commanded him, without let or hin- 
drance from any man. 

Hence these men of God are scattered in 
Africa, in Asia, and different parts of Europe, in 
the islands of the seas, among the aborigines of 
our own country, and indeed in every state and 
kingdom under heaven, with the exception of 
those under Papal influence, and even in these 
the way appears to be preparing for the Lord in 
a very remarkable manner. In France, since 
the late revolution, and in other states of Eu- 
rope, free toleration is allowed for all sects to 
exercise themselves, and to preach their respec- 
tive peculiarities. In Palestine, the land where 
Isaiah sung and prophesied, where Christ, the 
Messenger of the new covenant, was born, 
preached, died, and rose again, and from which 
he ascended to heaven, but which has long been 
under the iron sceptre of Mohammedan des- 
potism, even here in Jerusalem, around which 
cluster so many endeared recollections, is the 



184 



EXCOCRAGIXG FACTS. 



Gospel preached in its purity. In Constanti- 
nople, so long the " nest of every unclean bird," 
the " seat of the false prophet/' Protestant mis- 
sionaries are actively engaged in preaching the 
Gospel, and the Holy Scriptures are circulated. 
China, by a very mysterious providence, has 
opened her gates to the missionaiy of the cross, 
and he is entering them with words of peace on 
his lips. In fact, the whole land of the East, 
— once the theatre of so many astonishing events, 
that has furnished such varied themes for the 
poet, the historian, the antiquarian, the philoso- 
pher, whether heathen, Jew, or Christian — 
seems now opened, or opening, for the recep- 
tion of Him who " bringeth glad tidings of great 
joy to all people." 

Time indeed would fail me to undertake to 
enumerate all the instances which demonstrate 
the truth of the proposition, that the present 
days are better than the former. We may 
therefore say to those who question the fact, 
in the language of inspiration, " Say not thou, 
What is the cause that the former days were 
better than these? for thou dost not inquire 
wisely concerning this," Eccles. vii, 10.- Those 
who will take the trouble to contrast the pre- 
sent with the past, from the records of history, 
will be constrained to acknowledge that the pre- 



' > CAUSE OF THANKFULNESS. 185 

sent is incomparably better in every respect, 
civilly, religiously, scientifically, artistically, agri- 
culturally, and commercially ; and if the Chris- 
tian will be wise and diligent, he will find that 
he can use all these immense advantages for the 
glory of God, in the advancement of the Re- 
deemer's cause in the earth. 

Now I certainly envy not the heart of that 
man that can sit down and calmly meditate on 
this most desirable and delightful state of things, 
and not be animated with a bright hope in the 
future, and will not send up his grateful ac- 
knowledgments to the God of all grace for his 
manifold mercies. He that can, amidst these 
scenes — scenes which unfold the wisdom, power, 
and goodness of Almighty God so conspicuously 
and gloriously — indulge himself in repinings 
over the degeneracy of the age, and the desola- 
tions of the Church, instead of catching fire 
from the holy altar, and bursting forth in songs 
of praise and thanksgiving to God "for his 
wonderful goodness unto the children of men," 
— why, I must leave him to his own musings, and 
join with all those of every name and order who 
will unite with me in ascribing " honour, and 
glory, and dominion to Him that sitteth upon 
the throne, and unto the Lamb forever." 



186 CHRONOLOGICAL COMMENTATORS. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

The author expresses his conviction in the validity of his con- 
clusions — Former incredulity in chronological interpretations 
— Mr. Fleming's prediction of the downfall of the Pope in 1848 
— These opened new views — Wesley and Faber approximate 
near each other, and with Fleming — Causes of the difference 
— This difference being so small, confirms the truth of the pre- 
diction — All these things argue the near approach of the mil- 
lennium — In what this is to consist — Further representations 
of Fleming — Final overthrow of the Pope in the year 2000 — 
The reasons for this. 

If I have not very much misunderstood the 
state of things — and I have tried to be impar- 
tially accurate — the prospects before the Church 
are of the most encouraging character. I cer- 
tainly have not intentionally allowed my imagi- 
nation or my feelings to bias my judgment, but 
have endeavoured to draw all my conclusions 
from indisputable facts. I claim, however, no 
infallibility ; and, therefore, if any one will con- 
vict me of error, in a Christian spirit, my ac- 
knowledgment shall follow such conviction just 
as speedily and frankly as I am capable of per- 
forming it. 

For a number of years, my confidence has 
been very much weakened in the accuracy of 
the chronological commentators upon the pro- 
phecies of Daniel and St. John, because I thought 



UNWORTHY OF CREDIT. 



187 



they had proved themselves false prophets, by 
the events not harmonizing with the predictions 
which they professed to found upon the pro- 
phetic Scriptures. About thirty years since, 
from reading Faber and some others, I spun 
out a fine theory for myself, with which I was 
much pleased for the time, and could dilate 
upon with great delight; but soon events oc- 
curred which tore my theory into fragments, 
and I was forced to abandon it as utterly un- 
tenable. And surely the late frenzied delu- 
sion, conjured up by the disordered imagination 
of Miller, by which so many weak but honest 
minds were maddened by the wildest specula- 
tions that ever bewildered and bewitched the 
human soul, and all professedly founded on the 
chronological prophecies of Daniel and St. John, 
has had no tendency to remove my perplexities, 
or to strengthen my faith in the truth of these 
prophetic interpretations. 

ISTor do I now pretend to have arrived at any 
sure data on which to found an undoubted con- 
fidence in the interpretation of these mysterious 
prophecies. But on looking over, a short time 
since, Benson's Commentary on the twelfth 
chapter of the Revelation, I found he quoted a 
passage from the writings of Mr. Fleming, in 
which that eminent commentator, in his inter- 



188 



FLEMING'S CALCULATION. 



pretation of this prophecy respecting the -woman 
fleeing into the wilderness, where she should be 
fed twelve hundred and sixty days, predicted, 
from a chronological calculation derived from 
this symbolical representation, that the Pope 
should be put down in 1848. Mr. Fleming 
wrote his Commentary upon the book of Reve- 
lation in 1^701, just one hundred and forty-seven 
years before the event took place. This re- 
markable coincidence, I must confess, struck 
me with great force ; for we had just been in- 
formed that Pope Pius IX. had fled from Rome 
to Gaeta, in the kingdom of Naples, and sub- 
sequent events have attested the fact that the 
Provisional Government of Italy had deposed 
the Pope from all his temporal power. 

This opened a new scene for reflection. I 
recollected that Faber, predicating his calcula- 
tion of the same symbolical prophecy, had pre- 
dicted the overthrow of the Pope in 1866, and 
that Wesley, borrowing from Bengelius, had 
intimated that the same event would occur in 
1836. 

These men of God differ thus in respect to 
the time of the overthrow of the Popedom, on 
account of their disagreement as regards the 
time of the commencement of the twelve hun- 
dred and sixty days, Faber placing it in six 



FLEMING AND FABER. 



180 



hundred and six ; and Wesley not only dissents 
from Fleming and Faber, both in his date of the 
commencement of the important era of the wo- 
man's fleeing into the wilderness, but also in the 
length of the time of the twelve hundred and 
sixty days, making it extend from about 800 
to 1836. The reason why Faber differs from 
Fleming is, that the former reckons a day for a 
calendar year, and thus, by adding twelve hun- 
dred and sixty years to six hundred and six, 
brings the fulfilment of this chronological pro- 
phecy down to 1866 ; while Fleming makes 
them prophetical years, which leads him to de- 
duct eighteen from the calendar years,* and 
thus to bring it down to 1848. This sym- 

Q The difference between a prophetical and a Julian, or 
calendar year, consists in this — a prophetical year is made up 
of twelve months, of just thirty days each month, making 
three hundred and sixty days in the year ; while a Julian 
year includes twelve months of different number of days, as 
thirty, thirty-one, twenty-eight, with the exception of leap- 
year, when February has twenty-nine days ; so that a Julian, 
or our common year, has three hundred and sixty-five days, 
five hours, forty-eight minutes, forty five and a half seconds. 
This, by leaving out the fractions of minutes and seconds, 
will make a difference, in eighteen hundred and sixty years, 
of about eighteen years. It is by this mode of calculation 
that Mr. Fleming, deducting eighteen from twelve hundred 
and sixty, and adding the twelve hundred and forty-two to 
six hundred and six, terminates the reign of the Pope in 1848 
instead of 1866. 



190 



SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 



bolical language has been doubtless used that 
its meaning might be understood only by the 
coming to pass of the events. And I certainly 
shall not add to the immense pile of baseless 
conjectures which has been accumulating by the 
folly or presumption of fallible men, who have 
vainly attempted to draw aside the veil which 
hides futurity from human view, by trying to 
unfold the meaning of a prophecy before its 
truth is declared by its fulfilment. On the con- 
trary, wisdom would seem to dictate the pro- 
priety of waiting patiently for time to develop 
that hidden meaning of those prophecies which 
is now wrapped up in that symbolic language 
which is hard to be understood, and which 
seems to have been so recorded for the express 
purpose of preventing vain mortals from know- 
ing those things which are in future, that they 
may attend more diligently to those which God 
hath revealed, as the object of their faith and 
the measure of their duty. 

In the mean time we may remark, that the 
" signs of the times," which now appear in the 
political and religious horizon, seem to indicate 
the near approach of that day, when the king- 
dom of the Lord Jesus " shall extend from the 
river even to the ends of the earth;" when the 
" stone that was cut out of the mountain without 



FAVOURABLE SIGNS. 



191 



hands, shall break in pieces the iron, the brass, 
the clay, the silver, and the gold ;" and when 
the "great God" shall establish his kingdom 
universally among men, and Jesus Christ shall 
reign " God over all, blessed forever." 

I say, the signs of the times seem to indicate 
this. Look at the free toleration for the propa- 
gation of the Gospel already noticed, among 
almost all the nations of the earth. As God 
anciently overruled the wickedness of Pharaoh, 
of Sihon, of Nebuchadnezzar, of Cyrus, and a 
thousand other rulers of men, to subserve his 
purposes of wisdom, truth, and goodness, to the 
children of men, so he has been " preparing the 
way of the kings of the earth," by the wars in 
Europe, occasioned by the revolution in France 
in 1789, from which sprang Bonaparte — one of 
the most renowned warriors of the world— and 
his veteran generals, for the development of his 
own benevolent purposes of mercy, and for the 
final establishment of the kingdom of his Son on 
the earth. How marvellously did the providence 
of God manifest itself in overruling the attack 
of the British arms upon the Chinese, which, to 
all human appearance, was an act of flagrant 
injustice, so as to make it eventuate in such a 
treaty of peace as should secure the free en- 
trance of missionaries into that populous and 



192 



SIGNS OF THE TIMES. 



superstitious empire ! And wherever the British 
government holds sway in the East or West, 
there freedom of conscience in religious matters 
is secured to the people. In this light, what a 
blessing to the world is that government, with 
all its imperfections ! May it not abuse its 
powers by becoming intolerant, but so use its 
dominion, as to fulfil its high trusts for the ad- 
vancement of true religion ! 

But what an opening does this present for 
the spread of the Gospel ! And how animating 
the prospect when we look abroad — East, West, 
isorth, and South — and behold everywhere 
"the fields white for the harvest!" 

Nor must we forget, or overlook, our own 
happy country, as one of the agents in effecting 
this glorious revolution. The principles of civil 
and religious liberty, early planted in these 
feeble colonies, continued their heavenly influ- 
ence, until the eventful period arrived which de- 
clared and achieved our independence. Since 
then what wonders has God wrought in this 
and other countries ! Here especially have those 
principles grown to maturity, and they have af- 
fected, less or more, all the kingdoms of Europe ; 
and they will continue, I most devoutly pray, to 
diffuse themselves more and more, until the 
despotisms of the old world shall be annihilated, 



THE MILLENNIUM. 



193 



and all men everywhere may sit down " under their 
own vine and fig-tree," and worship God without 
any other restraint than what the word of God 
imposes upon an enlightened understanding and 
a well-instructed conscience. 

Now, take all these things into the account, 
and then connect with the pleasing view the 
facts heretofore stated, namely, the exertions 
which are now making, by nearly all denomina- 
tions of Christians, both at home and abroad ,* 
by building churches, filling the pulpits with 
holy and spiritual ministers ; by sending out 
missionaries into every land, to which access 
can be had ; by circulating the Bible in almost 
every language and dialect under heaven, and 
the increased spirit of holiness, of holy living 
and acting ; and then let us asi ourselves, 
whether we have not abundant reason for be- 
lieving that God is about to take to himself his 
great power, and reign universal King on the 
earth ? — in other words, whether he is not, 
even now, ushering in the millennium, as it has 
been not unaptly called, from the " thousand 
years " of Christ's reign, mentioned in the Reve- 
lation ? 

Let us not, however, deceive ourselves by 
anticipating an imaginary millennium. I do not 
believe— and the reasons for this unbelief are 
13 



194 



THE MILLENNIUM. 



too numerous to mention here — (See Appendix 
No. 2) — either that Jesus Christ will ever appear 
personally among men on this earth, or that 
such a time will ever come, before the " new 
heavens and new earth " shall be formed, as 
that all and every one of the inhabitants of our 
world shall be really and personally righteous ; 
and that, consequently, all wickedness shall be 
swept from among men. But I believe the 
millennium that we are authorized to expect, is 
such a one as shall put " down all rule and au- 
thority " but such as is according to godliness, 
or such as Christianity shall sanction ; that all 
false systems of religion, and unrighteous civil 
governments, shall be destroyed, so that Chris- 
tianity shall be the only religion professed by 
any people or nation ; that thus an offer of life 
and salvation shall be freely and fully made to 
every living man and woman, upon the terms 
of the Gospel ; so that if any perish in his sins, 
it will not be because he was born a Jew, a 
Mohammedan, or Heathen, but only because he 
willingly and wilfully refused to believe on the 
Lord Jesus Christ as the only Saviour of the 
world. 

When this period shall have arrived, and the 
Gospel has been thus preached among all na- 
tions, I believe the end of the world will come ; 



Fleming's calculations. 195 

and then " he that is holy shall be holy still, 
and he that is unholy shall be unholy still." I 
believe that the commencement of this happy 
period is nigh, even at the door, if it be not 
indeed already begun. 

Since the remarks upon Fleming's interpreta- 
tion were written, I have, through the kindness 
of a friend, procured a copy of his work, and 
find that he calculates the complete destruction 
of the Papacy in the year 2,000, from the fact 
that the Pope was not invested with the full 
title of Universal Bishop until 758, under the 
reign of the emperor Pepin. According to this, 
the Papacy may be gradually wasting away, 
under the unerring, but just hand of Divine 
Providence, overruling the events of the world, 
and causing them to crush by slow degrees the 
power of the Pope, both in its head and limbs, 
until the time predicted shall come, when the 
entire fabric, as such, shall be destroyed. 
Though, therefore, it be true that Mr. Fleming 
predicted the fall of the Pope in 1848, and 
though we have seen this literally accomplished, 
so far as respects his temporal power, he yet 
retains his spiritual office as bishop, and may 
continue to exercise it for one hundred and fifty- 
two years, or until the two thousandth year of 
the Christian era. 



196 



THE MILLENNIUM. 



I merely give these facts as the result of 
Mr. Fleming's calculations, without uttering any 
opinion respecting their truth. Time will de- 
velop all these things in the due course of events. 
We may therefore safely wait for this infallible 
interpreter of the mysteries of Divine providence 
to unfold the meaning of the prophetic Scrip- 
tures, and make everything plain. " What I do 
thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know here- 
after," applies with equal force to all those fu- 
ture events which are wrapped up in the dark- 
ness of a hidden providence, as it did to the 
question of the disciples, when they asked the 
Lord Jesus if at that time he would " restore 
again the kingdom to Israel." 



GREAT WORK TO BE DONE. 



197 



CHAPTER XXII. 

The millennium near at hand, though much remains to be 
done before its realization — The present state of the world— 
1,000,000,000 its estimated population — One-third only of these 
are Christians — the others Mohammedans, Pagans, and Jews 
— Probably two-thirds of the Christians either Roman Catho- 
lics or Greeks — Among the 70,000,000 Protestants, not over 
3,500,000 real Christians — Look at China — At Africa — At Eu- 
rope—Prospects gloomy — State of the Protestant world — Evils 
of Church and State — Look at America— Gloomy state of 
South America and Mexico — Glance at the conquest — The 
United States — Here things more favourable — Much remains 
to be done — Calculation of the time for the general spread of 
the Gospel — The holy Christian fixes his faith on the promises 
of God — Present facilities for the spread of the Gospel. 

I have intimated that the time is drawing nigh 
for the millennial glory to be ushered into the 
world. I do not wish, however, to be misunder- 
stood upon this subject. Though the time of 
its commencement may be near at hand, if in- 
deed it has not already begun, it may neverthe- 
less be a long time, as we measure time, in pro- 
gress, and that time will be long or short, ac- 
cording to the rapidity with which the work is 
pushed forward. But whether the time be long 
or short, and whether the spiritual reign of 
Christ on this earth be a thousand or ten thou- 
sand years, it is most manifest that a great work 
remains to be done before that happy consum- 
mation shall be fully realized. 



198 



si'ATE OF THE "WORLD. 



To be convinced of this, let us look at the 
present condition of the world in respect to the 
actual state of pure and undefiled religion. 
Though it is highly favourable as it regards the 
prevalence of civil and religious liberty, and 
therefore for the revival and spread of evangel- 
ical piety, yet the greater portion of the world 
is still under the power of sin, superstition, and 
idolatry, which even now overspread more than 
two- thirds of the inhabitants of the earth, while 
among those who profess a belief in Christianity 
only a small minority are genuine believers in 
Jesus Christ. 

It is estimated that there are now about 
1,000,000,000 of inhabitants on our globe. (See 
Appendix, ISTo. 3.) Out of these 1,000,000,000 
there are only about one- third, or say 300,000,000, 
that even profess the Christian religion. The 
other two-thirds, say 700,000,000, are either 
Mohammedans, Jews, or Pagans. Among those 
who profess a belief in Christianity, more than 
one-half, some say two-thirds, belong to the 
Roman Catholic and Greek Churches. Among 
those denominated Protestants, numbering about 
70,000,000, probably not over one in twenty, 
that is, about 3,500,000, have an experimental 
knowledge of God bv a living faith in Jesus 
Christ. I do not say that all the rest are re- 



CHINA. 



199 



probates. There doubtless might be found those 
among the different sects, unknown to all but 
God, who conscientiously improve the light they 
have ; who, not having the written " law, do by 
nature the things contained in the law, are a 
law unto themselves, which show the work of 
the law written in their hearts, their conscience 
also bearing witness, their thoughts meanwhile 
accusing or else excusing one another ; w for " in 
every nation, he that feareth God and worketh 
righteousness is accepted of Him." Such are 
saved through the merits and mediation of 
Christ, though they never heard of him, just as 
infants and idiots are saved by His merits, though 
incapable of believing in Him " with a heart unto 
righteousness." 

But leaving these out of the question, let us 
for a moment consider the great work to be ac- 
complished before Christianity shall be univer- 
sally established. Look at the vast empire of 
China, containing probably 150,000,000 of in- 
habitants, all, with but few exceptions, bowing 
down to idols, which can neither hear nor speak. 
What a mighty mass of corruption, of supersti- 
tion, and idolatry to be removed ! Persia, the 
land of Palestine, — the exact number of their in- 
habitants I cannot tell, — and other countries of 
Asia, are still under the dominion of Mohamme- 



200 



STATE OF THE "WORLD. 



dan imposture, Jewish prejudice, or pagan su- 
perstition. And these false systems of religion 
are strengthened in the hearts of the people by 
the manner in which they administer to their 
sensual indulgence. These countries indeed pre- 
sent an arid waste, a barren desert, with here 
and there a green spot, which has been culti- 
vated by the missionary, and which, like an 
oasis in the sands of Africa, affords the Christian 
pilgrim a means of refreshment to his weary 
spirit. 

Look at Africa, though never thoroughly ex- 
plored by the scientific traveller, containing pro- 
bably 90,000,000 of souls, with the exception of 
here and there a Christian society, all under 
either Mohammedan delusion or pagan idolatry, 
many of whom are as ignorant of God, and the 
arts of civilization, as her Sahara desert is des- 
titute of vegetable life. Though some few of 
her numerous tribes, who inhabit the seacoast, 
have embraced the Gospel, and though a Chris- 
tian colony is rising in Liberia, yet the great pro- 
portion of her vast population are given up to 
all the corruption peculiar to Mohammedan and 
heathen principles and modes of worship. Egypt, 
the cradle of the arts of civilized life, and once 
the seat of a Christian bishopric ; Carthage, for- 
merly the city of refinement, of literature, and 



EUROPE. 



201 



the arts, and once the theatre of Christian pole- 
mics, now in ruins ; Ethiopia, once famous for 
its attachment to Christian worship ; Hippo, cele- 
brated in ecclesiastical history as the seat of Au- 
gustine, a Christian bishop — all these places, 
with hundreds of others, included within the do- 
mains of Africa, have become the "habitation 
of the dragon, a nest for every unclean bird," or, 
in other words, are given over to a bewildering 
delusion. And as to the interior of Africa, no 
man knows its condition, for it has never been 
fully explored. What a mighty work is to be 
done here before Christ can reign in the hearts 
of the people, and subdue them to himself ! 

ISTor do many parts of Europe, though nomi- 
nally Christian, present a much brighter prospect. 
In France, Austria, Italy, Naples, and some other 
minor kingdoms and principalities, the Roman 
Catholic religion predominates ; while Russia, 
containing upward of 56,000,000 souls, is mostly 
under the hierarchy of the Greek Church. And 
though we may hope that in these Churches, in 
which the cardinal truths of divine revelation are 
maintained, there may be found some pious souls, 
who, like De Rente, Madame Guion, Fenelon, 
and a Kempis, " worship God in the spirit, and 
have no confidence in the" fleshly ceremonies 
with which their religious systems are surround- 



202 



STATE OF THE WOKLD. 



ed and encumbered, yet we know that infidelity 
abounds in their midst, that sensuality debases 
the great mass of priests and people, and con- 
sequently that purity of heart and practice is 
rarely found among them. 

And what shall we say of the Protestant world 
in general? Do the professors of this form of 
Christianity, generally speaking, afford any ex- 
ample to their Catholic or Greek neighbours of 
a sujDerior cast to induce them to change their 
Catholicism for Protestantism? I fear not. I 
greatly fear that, on a comparison of those coun- 
tries where Protestantism is established by law, 
where Church and State are united, and where 
of course religion is supported by the state, there 
has been but little of the genuine spirit of Chris- 
tianity to commend it to the acceptance of either 
Catholics, Greeks, Mohammedans, or pagans, 
until quite recently, and this has been produced 
by the bland influence of the Gospel, as preach- 
ed and exemplified by the dissentient sects of 
Christians, and that too in opposition to the power 
and influence of the predominant religion — 
the same overbearing spirit of intolerance, the 
same disregard to honour and justice in their in- 
tercourse one with another, the same spirit of 
intrigue, of war and bloodshed ding, have been 
exhibited by Protestant nations, and even by 



AMERICA. 



203 



Protestant denominations, as have been hereto- 
fore manifested by Catholic kingdoms, or even 
by heathen nations. Is it any wonder, then, that 
Catholics and heathens should have imbibed an 
inveterate prejudice against Protestants ? Thank 
God that a brighter day seems to be dawning 
upon some portions, at least, of the Protestant 
world. 

Our remarks, so far, have had reference to the 
state of things in Asia, Africa, and Europe. How 
is it in America ? As to Mexico and South Ame- 
rica, so far as pure religion is concerned, and the 
general state of morals, there seems to be nothing 
to relieve the general gloom. What cruelties 
were perpetrated by the Spanish conquerors of 
Mexico and South America toward the hapless 
natives of these countries ! To convert them to 
Christianity, their inhuman conquerors held the 
crucifix in one hand, and the sword in the other, 
commanding them to bow and kiss the crucifix, 
or feel the point of the sword. And when thus 
converted, they were reduced to a state of vas- 
salage more degrading than that of the negro 
slave in our own country — they were instantly 
doomed to all the drudgery of working the gold 
and silver mines of the country, tilling the soil, 
or otherwise performing menial services for their 
haughty conquerors. 



204 



STATE OF THE WORLD. 



What has been the result of all this ? Alas for 
the state of religion and morals in those ill-fated 
countries ! Intolerance reigns triumphant, vice of 
almost all sorts degrades both the clergy and 
laity, while sanguinary wars have drenched the 
soil with human blood. A land blessed with a 
genial climate, a rich soil, many of its mountains 
and rivers impregnated with silver and gold, and 
yielding every vegetable fruit almost sponta- 
neously, cursed with a system of religion as heart- 
less as that of the Hottentots, with a tyranny as 
relentless as the Turkish, and with morals as low 
as the haram of Constantinople ! Is this picture 
too highly coloured ? Let the records of the con- 
quest and its subsequent history answer. It 
would seem indeed as if a reaction of Divine Pro- 
vidence was exemplified toward the states of 
South America and Mexico, in punishment of 
their treacherous cruelty toward the natives — na- 
tives whom they inhumanly butchered, conquer- 
ed, enslaved, and converted to the Catholic faith 
by a process as unlike the apostolic example as 
the Koran is unlike the Bible. Hence the com- 
mand issued respecting another people, " Give 
them blood to drink, for they are worthy," seems 
to have been executed upon them. Ever since 
the revolutions which emancipated these provin- 
ces from the dominion of Spain, there has been 



UNITED STATES. 



205 



revolution after revolution ; one chieftain rising 
up and supplanting another, and, in achieving his 
object, shedding the blood of the unhappy peo- 
ple like water. 0 God ! how long shall this be ? 

They are nevertheless objects of commisera- 
tion, and demand the pious exertions of the Chris- 
tian missionary. The way, indeed, seems to be 
opening for the entrance of the Gospel into that 
land of superstition, where the people have been 
taught to worship the Virgin Mary as the mother 
of God, and to eat the wafer as the real soul, 
body, and divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ ! 

How is it in the United States ? Every man 
is supposed to be partial to the land of his birth, 
the land of his forefathers, the home of his child- 
hood and manhood. Making all due allowance 
for this partiality, I presume to say that there is 
not, nor ever has been, any country so favoura- 
ble to the spread of the Gospel, and for the es- 
tablishment of Christian and benevolent institu- 
tions, as the United States. Here the tree of 
liberty was early planted ; here it has been water- 
ed, nursed, and pruned ; here it has accordingly 
grown and flourished, until its spreading branches 
have extended all over our free soil, so that un- 
der its umbrageous foliage the weary sons and 
daughters of men may shelter themselves, while 
the stormy blasts are passing over the old world. 



206 



STATE OF THE WOULD. 



Here also the Church of Jesus Christ was early 
planted, and it has imparted its sap to nourish 
the tree of liberty, and they have mutually sup- 
ported and fed each other, and they are now 
calmly reposing under the shadow of His wing 
which formerly sheltered the children of Israel 
in the wilderness. 

But even here, under all these advantages, 
there are many vices to correct, and much infi- 
delity to be conquered. The aborigines of our 
country are to be reclaimed, converted, and civi- 
lized ; the slaves are to be emancipated and 
saved ; and though the good work of converting 
the natives has been begun with encouraging suc- 
cess, there remains much to be accomplished be- 
fore the " wilderness shall blossom as the rose." 
But I need not speak more particularly of the 
state of things here, as it is generally understood 
by most of my readers, and it has been sufficient- 
ly adverted to in my former chapters. It only 
remains, therefore, for the evangelical denomina- 
tions to exert themselves unitedly, with becoming 
diligence and exemplary piety, that they may se- 
cure a complete triumph to pure Christianity in 
our own happy land. 

The above imperfect view of the state of the 
world will show what Christians have to do be- 
fore the "new heaven and the new earth" are 



PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION. 20 7 

created. And they may make a calculation, if 
able, from what has been done, and is now doing, 
and strive to ascertain how long it will be before 
that grand event shall arrive. But such a calcu- 
lation would present too slow a process, and too 
discouraging a prospect, for the lively and strong 
faith of the holy Christian to look at. He de- 
rives his faith and founds his hope, not merely 
on past events, on the history of what God has 
heretofore done, but more especially on what God 
has promised to do, and from what arises out of 
the present aspect of things. Such a time as the 
present never before was beheld by mortal man. 
Not only the general state of the world is favour- 
able for the advancement of pure religion, but 
everything in the civilized world seems to favour 
the progress of the Gospel. Steamboats, rail- 
roads, the electric telegraph, all facilitate, not 
only commerce, political and artistical knowledge, 
but may be made subservient to the extension of 
the Redeemer's kingdom. Never was there a 
time when it could be said with so much truth, 
to the missionaries of the cross, " Go, ye swift 
messengers," to every part of the habitable globe, 
as the present. Never was there a time like the 
present when the flying angel mentioned in the 
Apocalypse could so literally fulfil his high mis- 
sion, by " flying in the midst of heaven, having 



208 



STATE OF THE WORLD. 



the everlasting Gospel to preach unto" the 
dwellers upon the earth, in the seas, and the 
islands of the seas. News may be spread with 
the speed of lightning, and the " swift messen- 
gers" may go with all the velocity of steamboats 
and railroads from land to land, from island to 
continent, and everywhere proclaim the glad 
news of salvation. 

In my next I shall endeavour to present some 
more facts to show the encouraging prospect 
arising out of the present movements in the Chris- 
tian world for the general spread of the Gospel. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

Statement of particular facts — These prove that evangelical 
religion is reviving — European revolutions favourable to reli- 
gious toleration — Extracts of letters from Italy — from Switzer- 
land—from Hungary— from Germany— These all indicate a re- 
vival of godliness — Meeting of evangelical ministers in Wit- 
tenberg — A spirit of union prevails — These facts prove that 
pure religion is advancing — The fire of Divine love will burst 
forth suddenly, and consume all before it. 

In addition to the general view presented in my 
last, I wish to state some particular facts, for the 
purpose of strengthening the faith and animating 
the hope of the sincere Christian. These facts 
arise out of the movements which are making in 



EUROPEAN REVOLUTIONS. 



209 



different parts of the world in favour of pure, 
heart-felt religion. 

The revolutions which have occurred during 
the past few years in France, in Germany, Prus- 
sia, and Italy, have all been favourable to the 
principles of religious toleration, and of course 
to the propagation of evangelical religion. Hence 
in Hungary, in Germany, in France, and even in 
Italy, in Rome itself, the very seat of the Pope, 
as well as in Switzerland, evangelical ministers 
have risen up in the strength of God, and pro- 
claimed aloud, for a time at least, the pure truths 
of the Gospel. It would appear that there was a 
general and simultaneous impulse felt among the 
different bands of pious Christians in favour of 
experimental and practical piety. 

In confirmation of the truth of this statement, 
I will quote the following extracts from corre- 
spondents who write for the " Christian Union,' 7 
a periodical published under the patronage of 
the American branch of the Evangelical Alliance 
— a work intrusted to the immediate editorship 
of the Rev. Dr. Baird, whose catholic spirit com- 
mends him to all sincere Christians as a " brother 
beloved," and guarantees the character of the 
work he edits, as containing nothing inconsistent 
with impartial truth and brotherly affection. A 
correspondent, writing from Florence, after 
14 



210 



STATE OF THE WORLD. 



making: some general remarks on the state of 
things in Italy, says : — 

" That which impresses me most favourably, upon my 
inquiries into the religious affairs of Italy, is a manifest 
awakening among pious Protestants throughout the 
country, in reference to their duty towards Romanists. 
I believe this to be a revival of the spirit of Christ in 
their hearts, because it expresses itself in great charity 
towards the misguided people ; in judicious efforts to en- 
lighten them, and reach their consciences by truth, with- 
out drawing them into ecclesiastical controversy: and 
in prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon 
themselves as well as others. I frequently hear, from 
persons not interested in the conversion of Romanists, 
the most contemptuous remarks in reference to our Pro- 
testant efforts, and the accusation of bitterness and in- 
tolerance brought against the agents in them. But such 
persons are strangers to the little reunions where these 
matters are discussed. Would they but attend one such 
gathering, or converse to the point with individuals en- 
gaged in these movements, they would very quickly feel 
their own spirit reproved in reference to both parties. 
Such I have known to be the case in more than one in- 
stance. 

" At all the reunions which I have had the pleasure 
of attending in Italy, and also in conversation with mem- 
bers of different Protestant communions, I have been im- 
pressed with the evidence that God is moving upon the 
hearts of his children here to make them of one mind and 
spirit in view of the coming of his kingdom." 

This proves that a spirit is stirring the hearts 
of Christians in Italy, which, if it be not repress- 



SWITZERLAND. 



211 



ed by the hand of bigoted intolerance on the one 
hand, nor smothered by dead formalism on the 
other, nor yet kindled by the fire of bitter zeal 
against Roman Catholics, will yet burst forth in 
flames of divine love towards all men, and evince 
the purity of its source and the strength of its 
principle in acts of beneficence to the souls and 
bodies of men. 

Another correspondent writes as follows con- 
cerning the state of things in Switzerland. Af- 
ter giving a short account of the hypocrisy mani- 
fested by most of the professors of religion, after 
the establishment of the national Church, in stig- 
matizing the " true believers as Momiers, or in 
more polite terms, Methodistes" the writer adds 
the following remarks : — 

" You must not suppose, however, that everything is 
dark and gloomy in the present condition of the Canton 
of Vaud. That God who can draw good out of evil, and 
has promised to be with his children even unto the end 
of the world, has not left himself without witnesses here. 
If the men of the world are exhibiting more and more 
plainly the materialism by which they are guided, the 
little flock of the Lord Jesus Christ, following in the foot- 
steps of their Divine Leader, are daily evincing an increase 
of love, faith, and knowledge. The Free Church — al- 
though oppressed, deprived of all liberty and publicity 
in the services of divine worship, compelled in most of 
the parishes to assemble in secret for prayer and preach- 
ing, separated from its chosen pastors, who are dragged 



212 



STATE OF THE WORLD. 



away like criminals by the soldiery of the State —is never- 
theless prospering in the greater number of the locations 
where it has been established. 

" Nationalism is giving way to independence, formal- 
ism to life, traditional errors to a more enlightened 
knowledge of the Word of God, and to Christian free- 
dom. The pastors have been brought nearer to their 
people by the bonds of sympathy and daily connexion. 
They have become real pastors, spiritual conductors, 
who are consulted and appealed to, not only in the hoar 
of death, but in seasons of internal doubts and difficul- 
ties, of outward joy, or of trouble and mourning. The 
elders and deacons (whose very names were scarcely 
known a few years since) are of the utmost utility in 
the Free Church, in assisting, and, when necessary, tak- 
ing the place of the pastors, when the latter are expelled 
from then* parishes by the public authorities. The con- 
gregations feel that the breath of life exists among 
them : they are no longer silent bodies, listening only, 
and leaving to other hands the care of then- salvation. 
The members of the Church are making progress in all 
respects ; and in general they feel it to be a privilege to 
suffer for the name of Christ. There is certainly a 
bright prospect before the Free Church of the Canton of 
Vaud, in spite of all the persecutions of its foes." 

Even in Hungary,* a country which Austria is 
endeavouring to crush by her arms, it appears 
that the spirit of true piety is reviving. The 

° Since the above was written, the Hungarians have been 
crushed by the. united forces of Austria and Russia, and 
their liberties, for the present, annihilated : but still the 
spirit of liberty, though apparently subdued, yet breathes 
its aspirations to Heaven, and will, I humbly trust, sooner 



HUNGARY. 



213 



writer, after expatiating upon the means used 
by the enemies of vital religion to abridge the 
Protestants of their liberties, says that Satan 
could not by these means " prevent the return 
of hope." And to show the independent spirit 
by which the clergy are actuated, though poor 
as respects this world's goods, he recounts the 
manner in which they rejected a tempting offer 
of the Papal government to furnish them with a 
" public salary." After discussing the subject 
in two separate synods, acting independently 
and without the knowledge of each other, they 
unanimously, and at length conjointly, resolved 
to decline the proffered aid, assigning the fol- 
lowing as their reasons i — 

" Christ hath provided for us all that was necessary 
for our temporal estate, during long centuries of perse- 
cution ; He will not now forsake us. As to the govern- 
ment, kindly disposed, no doubt, but nevertheless papist, 
sooner or later, as a reward for the favour it bestows, it 
would insinuate itself into the internal government of 



or later, receive an answer, and God will proclaim their 
emancipation. Indeed, the despotism seems to be regaining 
its ascendency ; yet it is certain that it will not long hold 
its dominion, but will itself fall under its own weight, 
when the human mind shall be emancipated from its thral- 
dom, and the principles of civil and religious liberty shall 
be universally established. Let all the lovers of God fer- 
vently pray for this consummation. 



214 STATE OF THE WORLD. 



our Church. We cannot, like Esau, sell our birthright 
for a mess of pottage." 

What pious heart can avoid honouring, and at 
the same time deeply sympathizing with, this 
devout band of Protestants, who, while strug- 
gling under the double pressure of poverty and 
tyranny, nobly disdained to accept the pecuniary 
assistance offered them, lest it might be a means 
of their corruption, by giving their enemies a 
pretence for meddling with the internal affairs 
of their Church ! 

In Germany, the signs of the times seem to 
indicate spiritual prosperity. Had I room I 
should like to quote the entire speech of Mr. 
Wichern, in which he urged the necessity of 
forming a Home Mission, more especially for 
the benefit of the poor, and particularly the 
journeymen mechanics : " hundreds of thou- 
sands of them," he said, "were compelled to 
wander about in search of employment," and 
were thus exposed to all the allurements of vice, 
and to the corrupting influence of an infidel 
philosophy with which the country abounds. 
The following account of a meeting in behalf of 
the Home Mission will show the spirit by which 
this veteran of the cross of Christ is animated : — 

" In the public meeting, which was soon after held in 
Hamburg, for the promotion of the Home Mission, 



GERMANY. 



215 



Candidate Wichern bore testimony to the Christian 
zeal and self-sacrificing devotion with which Miss Sieve- 
king, of that city, had long laboured to promote the 
spiritual well-being of her towns-people, and the success 
which had attended her unwearied efforts in the forma- 
tion of a Female Visiting Society, in establishing 
schools for the young, and asylums for the old, in which 
not only their bodily but their soul-necessities met the 
most evangelical attention. He likewise noticed the 
fearless and zealous exertions of the Rev. G. Oncken, 
Baptist minister in Hamburg • and, while avowing his 
dissent from the reverend gentleman on the subject 
of infant baptism, he bore glad and just testimony to 
the truly Gospel preaching and practice of that confes- 
sor, and even martyr, for the truth as it is in Jesus, in 
those evil days — now, it is to be hoped, forever past — 
of Hamburg's persecuting oligarchy. 

" He further stated, that a Berlin clergyman having 
avowed his desire to labour for the Home Mission, but 
his ignorance of how it might best be accomplished, c I 
told him,' said Wichern, ' to follow the example of our 
English brethren; to place himself at the corner of 
some street, and preach Christ crucified to all the pas- 
sers by. But it is not clerical missionaries only, nor 
even chiefly, that we want,' continued Mr. Wichern ; 
i we want lay preachers, and that of every class. We 
want, as Lord Ashley most truly said, in respect of 
London, ' neither money nor old clothes, but living men, 
to penetrate to the homes and hearts of the poor.' 
The blight of infidelity has fallen on our land chiefly 
through the instrumentality of an artisan propaganda ; 
it must be met by the counteracting influence of a 
Christian artisan propaganda. We must have believing 
schoolmasters, believing handicraftsmen of every grade 



216 



STATE OF THE WORLD. 



and description, who, from love to God and the souls of 
men, will go among those of their own occupation, and 
labour to displace the rank and poisonous weeds of 
false doctrine and licentious practice, by the ' good seed 
of the word.' If the people will not come to the Gospel, 
then truly, as Lord Ashley says, ' We must cany the 
Gospel to the people and if we seek to know how 
England, of all European countries, has escaped revolu- 
tion, we may see in her Sunday-schools, her city mis- 
sions, her freely preached and generally received Chris- 
tianity, the sole, the all-sufficient solution of the 
problem. Even in our own sphere, experience has 
taught us in late years a weighty lesson : and the report 
of our brother, Candidate Gleiss, respecting his attempted 
city mission during 1847, may well confirm our hopes 
and stimulate our endeavours. Erom this report it ap- 
pears that two hundred and thirty families have been 
visited, during the past year, in one suburb of Hamburg 
alone, and that chiefly with the ostensible object of inquir- 
ing what children would be disposed to attend Sunday- 
schools. And although suspicion, and even dislike and 
repulsion, occasionally met the first approaches of the 
Christian visitant, yet these were speedily overcome by 
the conviction which persevering, disinterested kindness 
never fails to bring home to the most obdurate bosom. 
The visits of Mr. Gleiss are now looked forward to with 
eager pleasure by many a household, who at first 
scowled upon him with a most repelling coldness : and 
such will be, undoubtedly, the cheering result of a more 
extended Home Mission. Let us try to show, as well 
as to feel, love for those who have erred from the right 
way ; and He who loveth mercy better than sacrifice 
will doubtless bless the attempt.' 'But let it not be 
supposed/ continued Mr. Wichem, ' that the Christian 



ITALY. 



missionary duty is all without doors. Every family has 
a sphere of its own ; and by family worship, instruction 
of children and servants, and the conscientious per- 
formance of every relative duty, should contribute its 
share to 'leavening the whole lump' of society with 
Christian principle.' The result of this meeting, which 
was not only numerous, but comprised the elite of 
Hamburg's population, was the formation of a society 
pledged to the promotion of the Home Mission by every 
practicable means. 

" One Jady undertook the personal instruction of 
twelve destitute children. Others joined themselves to 
Sunday-schools already formed, or avowed a readiness 
to assist in forming new ones. Subsequent meetings 
have been occupied in suggesting and maturing various 
schemes of city missionary labour ; and the spirit of 
Christian charity, thus powerfully aroused, and sup- 
ported by the daily accumulating proofs of pressing 
necessity, will doubtless, within a brief space of time, 
assume a form and substance, before whose illuminating 
and warming influence the spirit of darkness will re- 
treat abashed." 

These extracts prove most incontestably that 
the spirit of evangelical religion is reviving in 
the hearts, and exemplifying itself in the practice, 
of God's ministers and people in those countries. 
Recently, also, Dr. Baird informs us that a Bible 
Society, auxiliary to the British and Foreign 
Bible Society, has been formed in one of the 
chief cities in Italy, and that English, Ameri- 
cans, Swiss, French, and Italians took part in 



218 



STATE OF THE WORLD. 



its organization. " This," he says, "is the first 
Bible Society, as far as our knowledge extends, 
that has ever been formed in Italy proper." 
We most heartily join in the prayer of Dr. Baird, 
that this organization may be succeeded by that 
of hundreds of others, before veiy many years 
shall have passed away." 

In a subsequent number of the same work, 
namely, for May, 1849, I find an account of a 
meeting of Evangelical Clergymen in Witten- 
berg, the very place where Luther published, 
Oct. 21, 1517, the ninety-five theses, so cele- 
brated as the beginning of the Reformation, to 
concert measures for the spread of pure religion 
throughout Germany. Many great and good 
men were there. The conference lasted three 
days. Dr. Baird says : — 

" Its object was emphatically the promotion of Chris- 
tian Union. There were present men from the four 
principal Protestant communions of Germany. — the 
Lutherans, the Reformed, the Evangelical Church, (a body 
much larger than all the others, aud composed of those 
Lutheran and Keformed Churches which coalesced in 
the reign of the late King of Prussia.) and the Moravians. 

" After a free interchange of opinion, and no little 
discussion, an Evangelical Alliance was formed, to be 
composed of all those who shall declare their faith to be 
in accordance with the Confessions of their respective 
Churches or Communions, and shall engage that their 
acts in the Alliance assemblies shall be in conformity 



EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. 219 



with these confessions. Such, in substance, is the basis 
upon which this movement rests ; and it would be diffi- 
cult to form one which would be either more simple or 
more appropriate." 

The principal objects of this Evangelical Al- 
liance were set forth to be : — 

"1. To show the fundamental unity of the Protestant 
Churches. 

" 2. To bear a common testimony against the various 
adversaries of the truth. 

" 3. To give mutual aid and advice. 

" 4. To mediate in case of difficulties which may arise 
between Churches that are members of the Alliance. 

" 5. To maintain and defend the rights of the Protes- 
tant Evangelical Churches, secured to them by the Em- 
pire, or by the several governments of Germany. 

" 6. To give aid and advice to isolated Evangelical 
Churches, both in and out of Germany. 

" 7. To promote and maintain union with all the 
Evangelical Churches of Europe and the world. 

"8. To prosecute works of charity, and especially 
that of Home Missions, for the evangelization of the 
nominally Christian world." 

The following reflections, by Dr. Baird, fully 
accord with my own views and feelings : — 

" Such are the great objects of this noble movement ; 
and it must be confessed that they are of the greatest 
importance. How cheering it is to see such a move- 
ment at this time, commencing in the very heart of Ger- 
many! Blessed be God, a brighter day is about to 
dawn upon the world ! Who can estimate the good 



220 



STATE OF THE WORLD. 



which will follow from such an effort to bring together 
the various evangelical branches of the Protestant Church 
in Germany, at a time when God is breaking down all 
the barriers which have for almost three centuries pre- 
vented the spread of the truth into the Papal portions 
of it 1 ? The new constitution of the German Empire 
throws open all parts of that empire to the Gospel, by 
establishing religious liberty. And, what is still more 
wonderful, the new constitution of the Austrian Empire 
throws open all the portions of that empire to all judi- 
cious etforts of the friends of the truth. How wonderful 
this day ! And how appropriate to the times is this 
blessed movement of the evangelical Christians of Ger- 
many to form a Christian union, and unite their efforts 
to promote the regeneration of nominally Christian 
lands, and especially their own great country ! May 
God crown their exertions with abundant success ! We 
feel confident that he will. Already we learn that the 
conference at Wittenberg has produced good fruits. In 
view of the deplorable spiritual state of Germany, the 
conference recommended days of fasting and humilia- 
tion, which have been observed by many churches with 
happy results. The ' Call to Repentance,' a short but 
admirable tract, addressed to all German brethren of the 
evangelical communions, which the conference, before 
its dissolution, resolved to publish, is obtaining a wide 
circulation, and is doing great good." 

Now do not these facts, together with the 
cursory view heretofore taken of the general 
state of the world, present a most encouraging- 
prospect to the Church of Jesus Christ, and 
visibly foreshadow the coming of the Lord of 



PLEASING PROSPECTS, 



221 



Hosts, to scatter his enemies, unbelief and sin, 
and to gather his elect from the four quarters 
of the earth into one fold, and to appoint over 
it one Shepherd, even Him whose "going forth 
is from of old, from everlasting ?" These scat- 
tered groups of pious Christians, breathing forth 
their aspirations to Almighty God that His 
kingdom may come, are not unlike to a train 
of powder that has been laid for the purpose of 
blowing up the citadel of a besieged fortress, 
when no sooner is the match applied than the 
magazine takes fire, and the citadel is scattered 
to the four winds of heaven ! These bands of 
holy souls, scattered throughout Europe, Asia, 
some parts of Africa, in America, and in the 
islands of the seas, uniting their prayers toge- 
ther before the throne of God — crying, " How 
long, 0 Lord, holy and true, dost thou not 
judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell 
on the earth ?" — shall sooner or later receive an 
answer to their prayers, and God will send the 
fire of His Holy Spirit, and suddenly a blaze of 
pure love shall burst out in every direction, 
which will burn up the " hay, wood, and stub- 
ble," and God will take to himself the kingdom, 
and reign universal King forever and ever. 

In the next chapter I shall, by the permission 
of a gracious God, attempt to show what is to be 



222 



ADDRESS TO METHODISTS. 



done for the accomplishment of this grand event. 
And I beseech that no one will pronounce me a 
wild enthusiast till he hears all I have to say on 
this subject. " He that believeth shall not 
make haste." 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

We live in an eventful era — The author confines his address to 
his own Church — Increase of means augments responsibility — 
Wealth a blessing if used right — No sin in gold and silver, but 
in their abuse— The blessings of life should create gratitude — 
The manner in which wealth becomes a snare — How it may be 
made a blessing — Increase of wealth devolves high responsi- 
bility — Surplus wealth enough to liquidate the debts of 
churches— Covetousness must be eradicated. 

That the "signs of the times" call aloud for 
renewed exertions among all Christians, appears 
indisputable. But I have no right to speak to 
any except to those of my own denomination, 
and therefore shall not assume the task of ad- 
monishing, reproving, or exhorting any but those 
of our own communion, in regard to duty — a 
duty indeed of high import — of tremendous re- 
sponsibility — a duty originating from the rela- 
tion we sustain to God, to the world around us, 
to each other, as fellow- Christians who have a 
common interest at stake, and who are there- 
fore called upon to labour with all fidelity to 



MEANS OF DOING GOOD. 



223 



advance this interest by every lawful means 
within our power. 

In the view we have taken of the present 
state of the Church, compared with what it was 
formerly, we have seen the vast improvements 
which have been made in temporal, intellectual, 
and spiritual enjoyments — how God has merci- 
fully enlarged our borders, increased our sub- 
stance, and in a variety of ways multiplied our 
resources and capabilities of doing good. These 
certainly have proportionately augmented the 
amount of our responsibility, imposed upon us 
new and higher duties, and that in exact pro- 
portion as we have increased in wealth, in know- 
ledge, and spiritual attainments. 

All these, I grant, are but means, or a power 
put into our hands for good or evil. Wealth, 
intellectual endowments, literary advantages and 
acquirements, religious privileges, and even the 
enjoyment of religion itself, in its deepest and 
most holy form, are all but so many talents, 
with which the God of providence and grace 
has intrusted us, and has commanded us to "oc- 
cupy/' or faithfully to improve them, until He 
shall come to call us to an account. But while 
it is freely admitted that all these are but means 
to be conscientiously used for the attainment 
of an ultimate end, it must, I think, be also ad- 



224 



ADDRESS TO METHODISTS. 



mitted that they are advantages of a highly 
beneficial character — of such a character as 
should, and will, excite the gratitude of every en- 
lightened understanding, and of every pious heart. 

Solomon says, "Money answers all things :" 
but he also says, " If riches increase, set not thy 
heart upon them." While it must be acknow- 
ledged that without money, that is, wealth, in a 
greater or lesser degree, no extensive good can 
be achieved, no churches built, no colleges erect- 
ed and endowed, no professors supported, and 
of course no students educated, no missions es- 
tablished and sustained, no Bibles printed and 
circulated, nor any other good books issued and 
read, no Sabbath-schools conducted, and finally 
no ministers supported — I say, that while it is 
self-evident that all these things involve the 
necessity of wealth, they equally demonstrate 
that a spirit of liberality must accompany its 
possession, and characterize its possessor, in or- 
der to avoid that inordinate love of riches indi- 
cated by the wise man when he exhorted his 
readers not to set their heart upon them. There 
is no sin in riches, any more than there is virtue 
in poverty. The poor man may be as vicious in 
his poverty, and manifest all the malignity of 
an unsanctified heart, by indulging an envious 
disposition toward his richer neighbour, and 



RIGHT USE OF MONEY. 



225 



evince all the idolatry which the apostle denomi- 
nates covetousness to be, just as effectually as 
the rich man may exhibit the malevolence of his 
unholy nature by that proud disdainfulness with 
which he looks down upon the poor man, neglect- 
ing and despising him on account of his poverty, 
and by refusing to give of his abundance to 
" make the heart of the widow and fatherless to 
rejoice" at the reception of his bounty. 

I said that there is no sin in riches. The sin 
consists in so setting our hearts upon them as to 
make them our god, or our chief good — in lay- 
ing them up as our treasures — in using them, 
or rather in abusing them, as instruments for 
selfish, luxurious, and sensual purposes. Surely 
there is no sin in gold or silver, nor in any of 
the productions of the earth or seas ; God indeed 
has given us all these things for our comfort, and 
we are allowed to "use them as not abusing 
them." He has not only made the earth pro- 
lific for the support of man and beast, but He has 
beautified the heavens over our head, studded 
the canopy with the moon and innumerable stars 
to guide the traveller by night, as well as for 
other grand and beneficent purposes, and caused 
the sun to shine by day, not only to exhibit his 
own ineffable majesty, but also for the benefit of 
his intelligent and unintelligent creatures. 
15 



226 



ADDRESS TO METHODISTS. 



These things considered, I do not like to hear 
a Christian man speak contemptuously of the 
world, understanding that term as including 
whatever God has made, and as excluding what- 
ever is sinful in the world. If, when we say we 
despise the world, we mean the sinful world, let 
us say so, and thus spare that beautiful world 
which God has made for our habitation, and so 
richly furnished with everything needful for life 
and comfort. I never yet knew a man or woman, 
however devout and holy, but what would eat his 
or her meal of victuals, when hungry, with as ex- 
quisite a zest, and drink water, when thirsty, with 
as keen a relish, and enjoy as much the luxury of 
a warm and comfortable room in cold weather, as 
any other person ; and they would be fools if they 
did not, for our heavenly Father has wisely and 
benevolently furnished us with all these things for 
our benefit. And he that can look abroad upon 
the earth, and view its variegated productions, 
and lift his eye to the heavens and behold the 
sun, moon, and stars, without feeling his heart 
kindled by the fires of devotion, and his soul 
drawn out in streams of gratitude to the great 
Architect of heaven and earth, I envy not his 
enjoyment. 

Forgive this seeming digression from the main 
subject under consideration, for I could hardly 



ABUSE OF WEALTH. 



227 



avoid this short tribute of praise to God for thus 
fitting up this beautiful world for the residence 
of man, and for thus opening so many sources 
of enjoyment — enjoyment not unworthy of the 
most holy, sanctified Christian. 

I was about to say, that if God has said, " The 
hand of the diligent maketh rich," he has said, 
with equally emphatic language, "Lay not up 
for yourselves treasures upon earth. 5 ' The sin, 
therefore, of the rich man does not consist in the 
simple fact of his having an abundance of wealth, 
but in his laying it up for himself, instead of em- 
ploying it for the glory of God, by dispersing it 
abroad, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, 
supporting missions, and in all other works of 
benevolence and charity. 

Here then lies the sin of wealth. It consists 
in hoarding it up, or in spending it in extravagant 
living, in sumptuous furniture, in loading our . 
tables with needless luxuries, in adorning our 
persons with superfluous ornaments, and in 
making it an excuse for " needless self-indul- 
gence," for living in idleness and dissipation. 
In this way wealth becomes a snare, and naturally 
tends to inflate the heart with pride, and to puff 
up the mind with the wind of vanity. And hence 
there is, I fully believe, no other effectual way 
to prevent these sad effects but for the rich man 



228 



ADDRESS TO METHODISTS. 



to get and to keep his heart right toward God, 
to obtain the sanctification of his affections, and 
then he will consecrate his all, his wealth and 
influence, to the cause of God. He that does 
this, the more wealth he possesses, the more use- 
ful he becomes. The more influence he wields 
in consequence of his wealth — for, in spite of 
philosophy, a good man will be honoured in pro- 
portion to his riches — the wider will be the cir- 
cle of that influence, the more will he draw in 
his wake, and the more vast will be his reward ; 
for if he that giveth only " a cup of cold water 
to any, in the name of a disciple, shall not lose 
his reward," how great shall be the reward of 
that holy rich man who consecrates all that he 
can spare from his own immediate wants and the 
wants of his family, and after reserving a suffi- 
cient capital to carry on his business, to the cause 
of God, to the demands of humanity ! 

I have made these remarks to show the great 
advantages we possess in consequence of our in- 
crease of wealth, and likewise to exhibit the 
higher responsibility God has devolved upon us 
to be proportionably useful in our day and gene- 
ration. "Where much is given much is re- 
quired." And I verily believe that God has 
prospered the work of our hands, and, as the 
fruit of honest industry and prudent economy, 



RIGHT USE OF WEALTH. 229 

has increased our temporal prosperity, with the 
express design of enabling us to enlarge the 
sphere of our usefulness, that we may propor- 
tionally extend our circle of doing good to the 
souls and bodies of our fellow-men. All these 
temporal goods are the gifts of his beneficence, 
bestowed upon us that we may more perfectly 
fulfil the end of our existence. Those among us, 
therefore, who possess wealth, hoard it up, be- 
come proud and vain, evince that spirit of covet- 
ousness which the apostle ranks among idola- 
tries, that seek their own ease and self-aggrandize- 
ment, indulge in a luxurious mode of living, in- 
stead of exerting themselves to extend the cause 
of Christ in the various ways now presented to 
us — those who thus devote the wealth with which 
God has intrusted them, will inherit the curse 
instead of the " blessing of him that is ready to 
perish." 0 how much good might the wealthy 
Methodists do, were they to consecrate their sur- 
plus money to the cause of humanity ! 

If the surplus wealth possessed by the Metho- 
dists in the city of New- York — and I speak of 
them merely because I know them better here 
than elsewhere — was devoted to the cause of God 
as it should be, they would very soon liquidate 
the debts of their churches, and have capital 
enough left to carry on their business, and with 



230 



ADDRESS TO METHODISTS. 



the ordinary blessing of God on the labour of 
their hands, they would still be able to meet cur- 
rent expenses, and have withal to contribute their 
proportion to send the Gospel to more destitute 
parts of our country, and to foreign lands ; as 
well as to aid in the cause of education, &c. And 
the same may be said, I doubt not, with equal 
truth, in behalf of the Methodists very generally, 
both in the cities and country villages. The de- 
fect is not in the lack of ability, nor, in general, 
of a disposition, but the absence of a suitable 
stimulant, and a well-devised system of finance, 
that should bear as equally as may be on all 
concerned. 

That spirit of penuriousness which distin- 
guishes some of our more wealthy brethren, both 
in the cities and country places, but more par- 
ticularly in the latter, must be put down, con- 
quered, and rooted out, or it " will eat as doth a 
canker," and finally destroy all the good they 
may possess. The temporal blessings which 
they possess — and they possess them chiefly in 
consequence of their becoming Methodists — must 
be consecrated to God, if they would secure the 
continuance of the " good- will of Him who dwelt 
in the bush." 



BENEVOLENCE* 



CHAPTER XXV. 

Sanctification and benevolence go together — Those in middling 
circumstances most liberal— If all were so, there would be no 
lack — This not done — Why not — Importance of the subject — 
Methodists generally thriving— Covetousness not confined to 
the rich — To ascertain whether all give according to their abi- 
lity, the missionary cause examined — Great deficiency — The 
same supposed in other departments — The duty of liberality 
pressed upon all preachers and people. 

In the former chapter we have seen how the 
Methodists have increased in their means of do- 
ing good by an augmentation of their wealthy 
and hence the high responsibility which rests 
upon them of extending the circle of their in- 
fluence in exact proportion to their means. This 
they unquestionably will do, provided the work 
of sanctification be simultaneously carried on in 
their souls with the increase of riches, for this 
holy work always begets in the heart a spirit of 
liberality which flows out in acts, not only of 
justice — for a sanctified soul certainly exhibits 
this stern attribute of the divine nature in all its 
purity — but also in deeds of charity, displaying, 
on all fitting occasions, an expanded spirit of 
benevolence. 

Now I know full well that there are many 
members of our Church, both among the rich 
and poor — and by the poor J mean those who 



232 



BENEVOLENCE. 



live by hard labour, and who nevertheless are 
not able to lay up much, if anything, for a fu- 
ture day — who have been, and are, distinguished 
for their liberality. These are they who are 
ever ready to contribute of their substance to 
build churches, found colleges, support missions, 
and feed the poor, &c, according to their ability ; 
yea, they are glad of an opportunity to do this, 
knowing that they are but stewards for God, 
and that as such they are " required to be faith- 
ful." If therefore they " let out the Lord's mo- 
ney," and they receive the stated increase, it is 
that they may expend it the more liberally in 
advancing the cause of Christianity ; and thus 
become ' ' rich in good works, and are laying a 
good foundation against the time to come." 
Such are an honour to the Church of Christ, a 
blessing to the world, and the blessing of God 
shall accompany them through life, and he will 
reward them a hundred-fold, and in the time to 
come they shall have everlasting life. And if 
all were equally liberal, if all would contribute 
according to their ability, there would be no 
lack in any department of our work, none would 
suffer in penury, no means would be wanting to 
send as many men to preach the Gospel as God 
should raise up and qualify for that purpose ; 
churches, colleges, and academies would be 



DEFICIENT LIBERALITY. 



233 



built, and every minister, whether efficient in the 
field of labour, or superannuated, would be com- 
fortably supported. 

But as this is not done, there must be some 
deficiency somewhere, among some class or 
classes of our people. I think it highly proba- 
ble that the fault is more among the richer class 
than among those in middling circumstances. 
These latter, I am inclined to believe, contribute 
much more than the former, in proportion to 
their ability, for the support of the general 
cause. There are those among us whose wealth 
would justify them in giving $20,000 to found 
a professorship in a college, and then, after re- 
serving a sufficient capital to carry on their busi- 
ness, have enough left to support their families, 
and to contribute their full quota for the ordi- 
nary calls of the Church, who think it a great 
stretch of liberality to give $100 or $200, or 
perhaps $500, toward such an object. Let 
such remember that God requires of them a due 
proportion of what he has bestowed upon them ; 
and that he that layeth up treasure for himself, 
and is not " rich in faith," cannot be an heir of 
the grace of life. How admonitory is the lan- 
guage of the Saviour, " How hardly shall they 
that are rich enter the kingdom of heaven." 

I have dwelt the longer upon this branch of 



234 



BENEVOLENCE. 



the subject, because I consider it of vast impor- 
tance. Wealth has naturally a corrupting in- 
fluence. And I verily believe that at this mo- 
ment the Methodists are in greater danger of 
being corrupted by riches, than they are of suf- 
fering from poverty. Though there may be, and 
doubtless are, those among us that are extremely 
poor, and may therefore suffer somewhat for 
the lack of the comforts of life, yet such are 
comparatively few — the most are in thriving cir- 
cumstances, others are abounding in wealth ; 
and while some of the latter exhibit in their con- 
duct all the liberality of noble-hearted, genuine, 
holy Christians, it is to be feared that others 
manifest that love of the world which is incom- 
patible with that enlarged love to God which 
characterizes the sanctified heart. Let such be 
admonished by the words of the apostle, " They 
that will be rich" — that will be rich, in spite of 
every demand of justice, truth, and honesty, of 
mercy and benevolence, that make all their 
plans bend to the attainment of this one object, 
at the expense of everything else — they that 
will be thus rich, " fall into divers temptations, 
and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful 
lusts, which drown men in destruction and per- 
dition." If, instead of acquiring riches in the 
exceptionable way above indicated^ wealth flows 



COVETOUSNESS CONDEMNED. 235 

in upon a man as the fruit of honest industry 
and prudent economy, and he expends it to the 
glory of God, by contributing to build up the 
Redeemer's cause among men, why then the 
more he gets the more blessed is he, and " look, 
what he hath laid out shall be paid him again." 
Not so with the miser, who makes gold his god, 
who is "greedy of filthy lucre," and who hoards 
up his wealth as the most precious treasure of 
his heart. 

But this spirit of covetousness does not be- 
long exclusively to the rich. There may be 
those among the poorer class who evince all 
the spirit of avarice ; who hug their pennies 
as closely, and who are as restless under their 
comparative poverty, as they would if they were 
worth their tens of thousands. Such manifest 
as much inordinate attachment to the world by 
their envious disposition, by living beyond their 
income, by aping the manners of the rich, and 
by refusing to give according to their ability, as 
the rich miser does by hoarding up his wealth. 
And I have frequently known the comparatively 
poor man disgrace himself by making a poor 
mouth, in order to excite the compassion of his 
more wealthy brethren, that he might filch from 
them something to supply his assumed wants. 
However disgusting this practice is to the modest, 



236 



BENEVOLENCE. 



upright mind, it is exemplified, more or less, 
in every-day life, and it demonstrates that cove- 
tousness is not confined to any one class, but is 
an inherent propensity of the human heart, and 
shows itself as effectually under a plain garb 
and a modest exterior as it does under the fop- 
pery of fashion and the lordly deportment of 
the haughty aristocrat. Grace — the grace of 
God alone, in Christ Jesus, operating upon the 
heart, producing a radical change within, and 
hallowing all the affections — can root out this 
covetous disposition, and make "the churl a 
liberal man." 

Now to ascertain whether the Methodists, as 
a body, do their duty in contributing according 
to their ability, I will examine one department 
of benevolence in which they are engaged, and 
are pledged to sustain — I mean the missionary 
department — and I select this because it affords, 
from its annual exhibit of income and expendi- 
ture, a more sure datum to found a calculation 
upon than any other. From the minutes of 
1848 I find the numbers in the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church to be 608,978 — I will say, for the 
sake of avoiding fractions, 700,000 — and from 
the annual report of the Missionary Society for 
1848, there were collected $78,646 84, and for the 
purpose of avoiding fractions, we will put it at 



ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. 



237 



$80,000. Now divide 700,000 by 80,000, it 
will give not quite nine cents each. This cer- 
tainly is a very small amount — an average of 
about nine cents, for each member to contribute. 
And if we recollect that some pay five, ten, 
twenty, fifty, and even one hundred dollars a 
year, it will appear that there are many who 
contribute nothing at all. Who will say, from 
these facts, that the Methodist people give ac- 
cording to their ability to sustain the missionary 
cause ? 

Though, therefore, there is an encouraging 
improvement in this department of benevolence, 
in comparison to what was done twenty or 
thirty years since, yet it is very manifest that 
there is room for a much further improvement. 
Were a regular system of finance carried into 
execution, universally — such a system as should 
call forth the liberality of all, according to each 
one's ability — I see not why $350,000 might not 
be realized just as easily as the $80,000 has 
been — for this would be only fifty cents each. 

JSTor do I suppose that a much better result 
would appear from an examination of other de- 
partments of benevolence, such as erecting col- 
leges, and the supporting supernumerary and 
superannuated preachers, their widows and 
orphans. I find from the amounts collected and 



238 



BENEVOLENCE. 



paid over to these last-named claimants upon 
the justice and charity of the Church, that from 
twenty to fifty per centum is all that these most 
worthy objects of our affection and veneration 
receive yearly, including the income of the Book- 
Concern and the Chartered Fund. This defi- 
ciency arises, in my opinion, more from the 
want of a simultaneous and systematic effort 
among preachers and people to meet the de- 
mand, than it does from the lack of either an 
ability or disposition to supply the requisite 
means. 

Now what I wish to press upon all concerned, 
both preachers and people — for there are some 
preachers as able to give as any others, and a 
few, I fear, who evince as strong an attachment 
to "filthy lucre" as do the most penurious 
among the private members — is the urgent neces- 
sity, to prevent their riches from "eating as 
doth a canker," of their giving a due proportion 
of their goods, and that statedly, and according 
to " weight and measure," for the support of 
the cause of God, in the various departments 
already indicated. Instead of " laying up trea- 
sure for themselves" or hoarding it up for their 
posterity, — and they know not who shall come 
after them, whether "wise men or fools," — let 
them so dispose of it as to " lay up a good foun- 



WEALTH A TALENT. 239 

dation against the time to come, that they may 
lay hold on eternal life." " To the pure all 
things are pure." And those who have purified 
their souls from " all filthiness of the flesh and 
spirit," have likewise consecrated their all upon 
the altar of God — have devoted to his service 
their time, their talent, their substance, and they 
dare no more use their money for sensual grati- 
fication, merely to adorn their persons, to pam- 
per their appetites, or let it lie idle, merely for 
the benefit of their posterity, than they can em- 
ploy their tongues to deceive, to blaspheme the 
name of God, or to defraud their neighbour in a 
bargain. The one is as strictly^ prohibited as 
the other, and therefore is as incompatible with 
holiness of heart as any other vicious practice. 

I greatly fear this subject is not generally 
duly considered. Money, or wealth, is as much 
a talent with which we are intrusted, and for 
the use of which, therefore, we must give an 
account, as intellect, as time, or the various op- 
portunities of doing good are. And a minister 
of splendid endowments, and shining acquire- 
ments, is no more accountable to God for the 
manner in which he improves his advantages, 
than the rich man is for the manner in which he 
employs his wealth. And if a minister should 
be so fortunate as to possess, in addition to his 



240 



THE MINISTRY. 



mental endowments and acquirements, wealth, 
and should exemplify the avarice of the miser, 
the littleness of the niggard, and screw, and twist, 
and oppress the poor, in order to increase his 
riches, and otherwise demean himself in his 
neighbourhood, so as to acquire the character of 
a covetous man, he will not only disgrace his 
high and holy profession, but also render him- 
self odious in the estimation of every liberal- 
hearted Christian, and be a stumbling-block, 
over which sinners will stumble into hell ! What 
an awful consideration is this ! Let those who 
are guilty think of it in time to repent, " lest, 
after they have preached to others, they them- 
selves should become castaways." 

CHAPTER XXYI. 

Holiness essential to vigorous action — The Church acts through 
her ministers — Curse of mere formal ministers — Learning 
sanctified by grace — Advantages of the present over former 
ministers — This increases responsibility — Eminent talents 
compatible with deep piety — Examples of this — Does not ex- 
clude others — The whole pressed upon the reader. 

In an effort to ascertain the responsibility of the 
Church, we have been led to estimate the more 
ample means she possesses now than formerly, 
in consequence of an increase of wealth. This 
enables her to enlarge the sphere of her useful- 



HOLINESS ESSENTIAL. 241 

ness by multiplying her books, building churches, 
erecting colleges, sending out and sustaining 
missionaries. But, after all, these are but sub- 
sidiary means, mere outward appliances, all of 
which may be used for good or evil, and that in 
exact proportion to the motive with which they 
are used, or the holiness or unholiness of the 
internal principle which gives life and anima- 
tion to the external machinery. And this mo- 
tive will be good in the same proportion that 
the heart is made pure by the sanctifying ope- 
ration of the Holy Spirit applying the merits of 
Jesus Christ: and this principle of action will 
be strong and vigorous in the exact proportion 
with which it is fed and strengthened with the 
" bread that cometh down from heaven, and 
giveth life unto the world for nothing, indeed, 
hath such a tendency to enlighten the under- 
standing, to invigorate the heart, to set and 
keep all the intellectual powers in motion, as 
well as to give them a right direction, as this 
continual influx of the Holy Spirit, this nourish- 
ing the soul with divine food. When the heart 
of the Church is thus pure, freed from those 
gross passions which defile the soul — when 
pride, anger, unholy desire, the inordinate love 
of the world, and the supreme love of self are 
expelled from the heart, and meekness, long- 
16 



242 



THE MINISTRY. 



suffering, a pure desire to glorify God, and a 
supreme love to Him, are implanted within — i 
then the Church is prepared to act vigorously, 
and will put forth all her energies to advance 
the cause of man's salvation. 

But the Church acts through her representa- 
tives. It has always been according to the 
order of God to save the world by means of a 
living ministry. I say a living ministry — and 
I desire these words to be understood most 
emphatically. 

The greatest curse which ever came upon the 
Church, and, of course, upon the world, has 
been the imposition of a dead, formal, lifeless 
ministry upon the Church. While the holy 
fire which burned in the hearts of the apostles 
and primitive evangelists continued its heat in 
the hearts of their successors, its radiating rays 
fell upon all who came within its influence, 
melting their hearts, and moulding them into 
the image of Jesus Christ. Like electricity, 
which needs but the power of friction to call it 
into action, so this heavenly fire, by the con- 
stant action and re-action between the ministry 
and the people, reciprocally affected each other, 
and by their simultaneous exertions they were 
instrumental in diffusing the pure flame of divine 
love all around them. But that this fire may 



ITS PRESENT ADVANTAGES, 243 

continue to burn, it must be unceasingly fed 
from the altar of God. " Without me ye can 
do nothing," says Christ. And though this is 
true in respect to all Christians, it is more espe- 
cially true in regard to ail his ministers. The 
weapons of their warfare are only "mighty 
through God." It is therefore by constant 
communion with God, through faith in the Lord 
Jesus Christ, that the minister of the sanctuary 
is fully qualified to the successful discharge of 
his high and holy functions. 

Whatever may be his natural or acquired 
abilities — however learned, or trained in the 
school of theology — and how many soever his 
advantages from position or profession — unless 
he is anointed with the Holy Ghost to preach 
the Gospel, and unless he daily and momenta- 
rily lives under the influence of this same Holy 
Spirit, however canonically he may be set apart 
for the ministry, however orthodox may be his 
creed, systematic and able his sermons, and 
even outwardly irreproachable his conduct, he 
is but " dead while he liveth "—he belongs not 
to the living ministry. 

Now that the present Methodist ministry 
possess many advantages which the earlier minis- 
ters did not, is fully evident. They have the 
advantage of an education, even allowing that 



244 



THE MINISTRY. 



they have not had a collegiate course of mental 
training, which most of their predecessors did 
not possess. It is well known that most of the 
early Methodist preachers were taken from the 
common walks of life ; and in those days even 
common schools were scarce, and those that 
existed were taught by masters and mistresses 
who now would be deemed unfit to teach the 
merest rudiments of an English education. 
From this class of the population the first Me- 
thodist preachers were principally taken. Books 
also were exceedingly scarce and expensive. 
The chief books were a pocket Bible, Hymn- 
Book, and Discipline, and if at any time they lit 
upon a commentary, Wesley's or Burkett's 
Notes on the New Testament, or perhaps occa- 
sionally Henry's Commentary, it was considered 
a great treat. But they were men of God, 
they lived and moved in Him, and furnished 
irrefutable evidence that they were called and 
sent by God, by the reforming effects of their 
labours. 

How is it now ? In addition to the advantages 
of a common- school education, now offered to all 
the children of our country, many of our minis- 
ters have had the opportunity of a classical edu- 
cation ; books of all sorts, historical, philoso- 
phical, theological, whether in commentaries on 



TALENTS AND PIETY. 



245 



the Holy Scriptures or otherwise, are put into 
their hands. If any, therefore, remain ignorant, 
it is either because he is too stupid to learn, or 
too indolent to study ; and permit me to say that 
either of these defects unfits a man for a minister 
of the Gospel. I cannot, indeed, believe that 
God calls a man to be a minister in holy things, 
who is either destitute of holiness himself, or is 
too ignorant to instruct others in the things of 
the kingdom. We have, however, I presume to 
think, but very few such ministerial drones in 
the Church. 

Well, now, does not our responsibility increase 
in exact proportion to these literary and scientific 
advantages? Are not these additional talents 
with which God has intrusted us, and for the use 
of which we must give an account ? 

To say that eminent talents, high literary and 
scientific acquirements, are incompatible with an 
elevated state of holiness and of extensive useful- 
ness, is to contradict the facts of all history. To 
go no farther than our own denomination for a 
proof of this, what do we find there ? Were not 
the Wesleys endowed with talents of the first 
order, and adorned with the highest literary and 
scientific attainments? And was not Fletcher, 
the holy and indefatigable Fletcher, equally emi- 
nent for gifts and acquirements ? And what shall 



246 



THE MINISTRY. 



we say of Benson, Clarke, and Watson ? Were 
they behind any of their contemporaries for either 
natural or acquired abilities ? 

And what shall be said of some in our own 
country ? Of the living I may not speak, for I 
doubt the propriety of writing the biography of 
men while they live, or of praising them to their 
face. But of the honoured dead we may speak 
without reserve. What, then, shall be said of 
Asbury, whose praise is in all the churches? 
Though not classically educated, yet we know 
that he was a close student, that he acquired a 
knowledge of the original languages in which the 
Holy Scriptures were written, and that he possess- 
ed an expanded intellect, and a highly improved 
understanding. Of Emory, whose acuteness of 
mind, and comprehensive judgment, evinced the 
powers of a great man, and whose mind had been 
highly improved by literary and scientific culture ? 
And what shall be said of Fisk ? He was both 
classically educated and highly adorned with scien- 
tific acquirements, and all these were ingrafted up- 
on a mind richly endowed with every natural gift. 

Were not all these men "bright and shining 
lights" in their day and generation? Did they 
not go in and out before the churches, exerting 
a hallowing influence all around them? They 
were, in fact, so many " golden candlesticks/' 



EXAMPLES OF TALENT. 247 

emitting a pure flame wherever they moved, 
being lit up by the Spirit of the Almighty. They 
were, indeed, the "anointed ones that stood by 
the Lord of the whole earth,' 9 into whose hearts 
the "golden oil" was poured continually, by 
which their souls were fed and strengthened, 
and their tongues became eloquent in the cause 
of God. 

To say, therefore, that strong mental powers, 
and high literary and scientific attainments, are 
incompatible with deep and ardent piety, with a 
flaming and untiring zeal in the work of man's 
salvation, and with extended usefulness in the 
cause of God, is to contemn the founders of our 
own Church, to question the piety of some of 
the brightest ornaments of human nature, and to 
pour contempt upon some of the purest spirits 
with which any denomination has ever been bless- 
ed. It not only falsifies the facts of all history, 
but it goes to impugn the wisdom and goodness 
of Almighty God, who called such men as Moses, 
who was skilled in all the learning of Egypt, as 
Paul the Apostle, as Luther and Melancthon, 
as Wesley and Fletcher, as Clarke, Asbury, and 
Fisk, and a host of others that might be named, 
all of whom may be ranked among the giants 
of the Church, not only in the depth of their 
piety, and the activity of their zeal, but also in 



248 



THE MINISTRY. 



the greatness of their intellects, and their high 
literary and scientific acquirements. 

I do not say, indeed, that such men are the 
only ones whom God calls into his vineyard. 
We know that the fishermen and tax-gatherers 
of Galilee were among the first of the apostles 
of the Lord- Jesus, and that in every age he has 
magnified his grace in calling and sending forth 
men of small literary attainments, and not of very 
expanded intellects, that he might "confound 
the wisdom of the wise," and save the world by 
the " foolishness of preaching."* But while it 
is allowed that he has done, and still does, this, 
it is contended, with equal earnestness, that he 
shows his sovereignty no less conspicuously in 
selecting instruments of a more polished charac- 
ter to accomplish his purposes of mercy to the 
fallen sons and daughters of men ; and that, in 
the same proportion that these advantages are 
augmented among us, our obligation for then' 
right improvement becomes stronger and 
stronger. 

s It ought, perhaps, to be remarked, that the apostle, in 
the above words, does not admit that he himself, and others 
engaged in the same work, were weak, foolish preachers. 
But allowing what their enemies alleged against them to be 
true, namely, that the preaching of Christ crucified was, as 
the Greek philosophers alleged it to be, foolishness, yet God 
had so put his seal upon it as to make it "the power of God, 



PIETY ESSENTIAL. 



249 



This is the point I wish to press upon myself 
and all my readers. Like the central fires in the 
bowels of the earth, the intensity of whose heat 
is in proportion to their depth, so does the fire 
which burns in the heart of a holy, devoted minis- 
ter increase in its intensity in exact proportion 
to its "length, and breadth, and height;" and, 
like the former, which occasionally burst from 
their confinement, and pour forth their volumes 
of flame in an impetuous torrent, the anointed 
minister of Jesus Christ, feeling his heart agitated 
with the fire of Divine love, pours it forth in 
streams of burning eloquence, carrying away 
with him, by the impetuosity of his zeal and the 
force of his arguments, the understandings and 
consciences of his audience. 

Let all such ministers, those whose hearts are 

and the wisdom of God" — that is, the powerful instrument 
of man's salvation. So conspicuously did the wisdom and 
power of God shine forth in this scheme of salvation, wrought 
out by Christ Jesus, as to confound all the wisdom of the 
Greek philosophers, and so aptly was it applied to the con- 
sciences of those who heard it proclaimed, that they felt its 
powerful influence to the salvation of the soul. In this sense 
it was termed the 4 * foolishness of preaching." But let it be 
remembered that a fool can never exhibit this foolishness of 
preaching, for he will but preach folly, inasmuch as a stream 
can never rise higher than its fountain — though it be true 
that an illiterate man, possessed of strong common sense, 
filled with the Divine Spirit, may still preach the Gospel in 
the ' ' power and demonstration of the Spirit." 



250 



THE MINISTRY. 



penetrated with a consciousness of the worth of 

immortal souls, who sigh for the abominations of 

the land, and who, of course, glory in naught but 

the cross of the Lord Jesus, look up and abroad, 

and while viewing the vast fields that are already 

u white for the harvest," "cry aloud, and spare 

not," but point continually to the "Lamb of 

God that taketh away the sin of the world." 

Such will not sit down, and supinely say, 

1 1 In vain we tune our formal songs, 
In vain we strive to rise, — 
Hosannas languish on our tongues, 
And our deTotion dies ;" 

but, feeling the love of Christ constraining him, 

he cries out from the depths of his soul, 

11 The love of Christ doth me constrain 
To seek the wandering sons of men, 
With cries, entreaties, tears, to save, 
To snatch them from the gaping grave. 

"My life, my blood, I here present, 
If for thy truth they may he spent : 
Fulfil thy sovereign counsel, Lord, 
Thy will be done, thy name adored." 

The first is expressive of a heart languishing 
under a consciousness of lukewarraness utterly un- 
becoming an ambassador of the King of kings ; 
while the latter stanzas are expressions of a heart 
heaving under a pressure of responsibility to 
God and the world, and declaring its willingness 
to spend and be spent in the tremendous work 



THE HYMN-BOOK. 



251 



of man's salvation. Hence lie exclaims with 
holy fervour, mixed with strong, steadfast faith, 

" Still will I strive, and labour still, 
With humble zeal to clo thy will, 

And trust in thy defence ; 
My soul into thy hands I give, 
And, if he can obtain thy leave, 

Let Satan pluck me thence."* 

s This verse, which is among the most sublime, poetical, 
deeply spiritual, and expressive of the strongest and most 
scriptural faith in God, of any in the entire collection of 
hymns, has been left out in the last edition of the Hymn- 
Book. I know not a single stanza in all the hymns in the old 
book which could not have been spared better than this. 
While I live I shall continue its use, for " we two are so 
joined" that naught but " death can us part." 

The Committee of Revision, I am sure, will allow me this 
favour, out of respect to the prejudice, if they please so to 
call it, of old age, rendered, in this instance, more inveterate 
from long association, and the delights arising from habits 
of thought, and a similarity of feeling — allow me to say, 
without being accused of vain boasting — with the immortal 
bard of Methodism. Had the Committee retained this ini- 
mitably sublime and poetical stanza, I could the more easily 
have forgiven them for laying so many others of my favourites 
under their ban, and devoting them to the excision of their 
critical scissors. I console myself, however, with the reflec- 
tion that the hymns thus condemned are still in being, and 
may be resorted to as we occasionally resort to the graves of 
our departed friends, that we may remind ourselves of their 
past services and virtues. At any rate, this verse shall live 
in my heart and affections, as a memento of my venera- 
tion for its merits. The reader will please examine Matt, 
x, 27-29 and Rom. viii, 33-39, for a reason for my wishing 
to retain that stanza in the Hymn-Book. 



252 



PRACTICAL ERRORS, 



CHAPTER XXVIL 

Erroneous method of converting sinners, particularly the Ro- 
man Catholics — True method — Our example must be good — 
Love and meekness must be exhibited — Contrast between 
Popery and Protestantism — Religion of love must be propa- 
gated by love — Erroneous method pursued towards Roman 
Catholics — The parties in our country — Real Christians — 
Nominal Christians — Semi-infidels and bare-faced infidels — 
The latter no indifferent spectators — Watching for faults 
among Christians — True method to be pursued — Combinations 
to put down any sect wrong — Not apostolic — Nor sanctioned 
by either Luther or Wesley — Successful method — It must be 
pursued in love — After the example of our Saviour — Such will 
succeed. 

One of the most pernicious practical errors into 
which professed Christians have been betrayed, 
is the efforts to convert others to their faith by 
unscriptural means. Though the maxim, " that 
we may do evil that good may come," is gene- 
rally discarded in theory, yet it has been too 
often exemplified in practice. Hence "Jesuiti- 
cal cunning' ' has passed into a proverb, from 
the "cunning craftiness" resorted to by the fol- 
lowers of Ignatius Loyola, in order to accom- 
plish their object. And this same exception- 
able conduct has been exemplified in one way 
or another by some professed Christians in every 
age of the Church. Hence the false miracles, 
the many " lying wonders" which have been 



THEIlt EFFECT. 



253 



invented by designing men, and palmed upon 
the people, in order to excite their admiration, 
and inveigle them into a belief in the infallibility 
of the Church. 

Would that this censurable conduct were con- 
fined to only one denomination of Christians. 
As if to retaliate upon them with similar arts of 
deception, some Protestants have attempted to 
oppose the Roman Catholics with weapons, if 
not of the same sort, yet equally unworthy of 
the cause they have espoused. It has, indeed, 
appeared to me that a greater desire has been 
manifested to render the Roman Catholics odious 
than simply to do them good. Hence the ef- 
forts to make them appear ridiculous, by cari- 
caturing their doctrines and usages, by invent- 
ing and propagating falsehoods, such as those 
contained in Maria Monk's book, as base an im- 
position as was ever played off upon a credu- 
lous multitude, all of which has only tended 
to injure the cause of Protestantism, and to 
strengthen the hands of the Roman Catholics. 
In none of the controversies that I have seen — 
and I believe I have read the most that has 
been written upon this subject, besides attend- 
ing several lectures which have been delivered in 
opposition to Roman Catholicism — has the spirit 
of candour been exemplified, much less that 



254 



PRACTICAL ERRORS. 



spirit of love which ought to characterize po- 
lemical writings of this sort. These writings 
and lectures were calculated more to irritate the 
passions, and stir up a spirit of hatred toward 
the persons censured, than they were to excite 
that tender sympathy which ought to be in- 
spired in the heart toward the erring sons of 
men. To do good to the Roman Catholics, they 
must be treated precisely in the same spirit that 
we treat all others in similar circumstances. 

In the first place, if we would win them over 
to our faith, we must exhibit before them a su- 
perior example of piety, that thus the claims of 
pure Christianity may be pressed upon them 
from its living practical effects upon our hearts 
and lives. Nor are any other weapons than 
truth and love, plainly and powerfully addressed 
to their understandings and consciences, to be 
used for their conversion. We may indeed de- 
tect and expose their errors, and denounce their 
sins, but it should be done in that spirit of 
meekness and love which will convince them 
that we seek their salvation, and not their de- 
struction. What would be gained by merely 
the overthrow of Popery, unless we substitute 
in its place not merely Protestantism as a sys- 
tem of doctrine and church government, how- 
ever preferable this may be to that system, but 



EVILS OF POPERY. 



255 



more especially a living temple, composed of 
holy souls — souls that shall exhibit in their tem- 
pers and conduct the purity and excellence of 
Christianity. An unconverted, unsanctified Pro- 
testant is no better in the sight of God than an 
unconverted, unsanctified Roman Catholic. They 
are both under the curse of God's law, and of 
course are alike exposed to the malediction of 
Heaven. While in this impenitent state, the 
one is as much included under sin as the other, 
and therefore both equally exposed to future 
wrath, and equally need a change of heart, and 
an application of the blood of Christ to wash 
away their sins, and the purifying influence of 
the Holy Spirit to fit them for an acceptable ser- 
vice here, and for the enjoyment of God here- 
after. 

There is undoubtedly a difference in the two 
systems. While Popery is encumbered with 
numerous unscriptural ceremonies and burden- 
some requisitions, which clog its wheels, and 
greatly obscure the peculiar glories of Chris- 
tianity, Protestantism presents the truth freed 
from these encumbrances, and unobstructed 
from these ceremonious observances, which hide 
the truth, and prevent its beams from shining 
forth luminously upon the human mind. So 
far the contrast holds good, and so far Protest- 



256 



PRACTICAL ERRORS. 



antism presents its superior claims to the be- 
lief and homage of every rational, intelligent 
mind, and hence proves itself much more likely 
to be an instrument in the hand of God for the 
conversion of the world than Roman Catholicism 
does. Yet if I, as a Protestant, manifest ail 
the pride and pomposity of an unhumbled 
Pharisee in my intercourse with Papists, I can 
present no evidence that I am any more a fol- 
lower of the meek and lowly Jesus than they 
are, and therefore can lay no superior claim to 
the character of a genuine Christian, to induce 
them to change their religion for mine. The 
fact is, we are all, in our unconverted state, 
alike an abhorrence in the sight of a holy God. 

Let, then, the religion of love be propagated 
by such means as love sanctions, and all false 
systems will disappear in the same ratio as this 
religion prevails. First "make the tree good, 
and the fruit will be good also." Let the truth 
of God be aimed at the heart, and in such a 
spirit as shall convince the sinner, whether Pro- 
testant, Roman Catholic, Mohammedan, Jew, or 
Pagan, that we are seeking his present and eter- 
nal welfare, and we shall succeed, if God see fit 
to second our endeavours, in effecting his salva- 
tion, by producing a radical change of his na- 
ture, and thus stripping him of all false depend- 



ERRORS OF PROTESTANTS. 



257 



enee upon either himself or upon lifeless rites 
and ceremonies. Any conversion that stops 
short of this will be of no lasting benefit. A 
mere formal conversion from one system of reli- 
gion to another, though it may be from a false 
to a true one, which is unaccompanied by this 
thorough change of heart, inseparably connected, 
as such a change always is, with a righteous 
life, only affects the sinner's outward relation, 
leaving him, at heart, an impenitent sinner still. 

Here, then, has been, in my judgment, the 
grand error of most of those who have arrayed 
themselves against the Roman Catholics. They 
have, apparently at least, sought to load them 
with disgrace, stigmatized them with oppro- 
brious epithets, calling them nicknames, refusing 
even to recognize them by the name by which 
they have chosen to be distinguished, calling 
their Church the " whore of Babylon," and its 
members the descendants of the " beast and 
false prophet," &c, and have finally formed an 
association with the professed object to " put 
them down." I very much doubt the propriety 
of all this. These imprudent measures have pro- 
duced directly the contrary effect to what was 
anticipated by their authors and abettors. Both 
in Great Britain and the United States the Pa- 
pists have steadily, and indeed rapidly, increased 



258 



PRACTICAL ERRORS. 



in numbers and influence since these measures 
have been in operation. 

There are three parties in our country which 
compose society, and of course which form the 
public, out of which the public sentiment is 
formed. The first is the Christian party — those 
who are sincerely desirous of promoting the 
present and eternal welfare of themselves and 
their fellow-men, regardless of sects and deno- 
minations. These are the minority, though they 
are gradually increasing. The second is what 
may be called nominally Christian, or politico- 
religious, and are swayed pretty much by the 
wind of politics, and are urgent to go the way 
this wind blows the strongest. The third is 
made up of mere politicians, and it is composed 
of semi-infidels, skeptics, or open, bare-faced in- 
fidels, forming, to be sure, a small minority. 
They are looking on with a suspicious eye upon 
the movements of the Christian world, watching 
for their faults, espying with the keenness of a 
vulture's eye any and every misstep that is taken 
by Christians, that they may find something to 
feed their infidelity, or to strengthen their pre- 
judice against Christianity. They do not dis- 
criminate between one form of religion and an- 
other, but look upon all its forms alike, and 
use them just so far as they will answer their 



IMMIGRANTS. 



259 



political purposes, and no farther. Their sympa- 
thies are enlisted with the weaker party, and 
more especially if they appear to be persecuted 
or oppressed in any way by the stronger. The 
Roman Catholics are the minority in our coun- 
try, and yet, as they generally vote all on the 
same side, these wily politicians are anxious to 
secure their suffrage, and in order to this, will 
promise them offices in the state, flatter their 
vanity, attend their meetings, and otherwise fa- 
vour their religious institutions. 

These men have been no indifferent specta- 
tors to the contest which has been going on be- 
tween the Protestants and Roman Catholics, 
and they have considered, and very justly too, 
in my opinion, the latter as the injured party, 
and therefore have very naturally sympathized 
with them, and have thus increased their num- 
ber and influence. This, together with the con- 
stant influx of Irish and German immigrants, 
has tended to swell the number of this class 
among us to an enormous amount, and it is still 
augmenting with an increasing ratio. 

ISTow the question to be answered is, What 
methods shall be adopted to do them good ? 
They are in our midst — they mingle in our fami- 
lies—associate with our children — do our work 
■ — and consequently we have it in our power to 



260 



PRACTICAL ERRORS. 



instruct them in the principles of pure and un- 
defiled religion, and to set them an example, in 
our daily intercourse with them, of exemplary- 
piety. If they behold in us the same pride, 
love of self, vain glory, love of money, of sen- 
sual pleasure, as are exhibited among themselves, 
what motive will they have to change their re- 
ligion ? If a Protestant priest manifest the 
same hauteur, the same luxurious indolence, the 
same love of power and pomp, as the Roman 
Catholic priest does, by what argument shall 
the latter be convinced that the former is any 
better than he ? All argument, in these circum- 
stances, will be absolutely unavailing. The best 
way, and indeed the only way, to convert the 
Roman Catholics, as Wesley said, is "to out- 
live them, and out- preach them." 

The fact is, and I rejoice that it is so, all com- 
binations among professed Christians, formed 
with the avowed object to put down another 
sect, however erroneous that sect may be, will 
always be considered, by the enlightened, im- 
partial part of the community, as a species of 
persecution incompatible with the genius of 
Christianity, and hence will inevitably tend to 
enlist the public sympathy, and turn the public 
sentiment in favour of the persecuted sect. And 
I scruple not to say that all such combinations, 



ERRORS ABJURED. 



261 



gotten up with such objects, are unscriptural, 
anti- Christian, deriving no sanction from apos- 
tolic example. The apostles went forth under 
the sanction and direction of their divine Master, 
unaided by any human authority, to proclaim 
the willingness of Almighty God to save sinners 
of every description, whether Jews or Gentiles, 
knowing full well that all who embraced their 
message with believing and obedient hearts 
would be saved, not only from their sins, but 
also from all those erroneous forms by which 
they had been held in bondage. This was the 
apostolic example. This same example was 
followed by Luther, by Wesley, and by every 
successful reformer. They began by first em- 
bracing the truth themselves ; and, feeling its 
transforming power in their own hearts, were 
constrained to preach it to their fellow-sinners. 
In doing this they were soon led to see and ab- 
jure the errors in which they had been so long 
held, and, without suspecting it at first, they gra- 
dually undermined the foundation of that vast 
fabric of error on which the rotten superstruc- 
ture had so long rested, and all the genuine 
converts fled from it as from a baseless edifice 
which could not shelter them from coming 
destruction. 

Had Wesley entered the arena of controversy 



262 



PRACTICAL ERRORS. 



respecting Church order, the power of bishops, 
and the various corruptions which infested the 
Church of England, he would have spent his 
strength for naught, and wasted his energies in 
empty declamation. Instead of this useless 
warfare, he aimed the truth directly to the sin- 
ner's heart, knowing perfectly well that if a re- 
formation were effected there, all the rest would 
follow as a necessary consequence. The same 
course he pursued toward the Roman Catholics, 
and many of them were soundly converted 
through the searching appeals of his ministry to 
their consciences. 

This method will prove successful, for I am 
fully persuaded that there is no disease in the 
human heart so inveterate but that it may be 
removed, provided the remedy of the divine 
Physician be timely and suitably applied, and 
belie vingly received. Nor is there any error, 
however complicated, but what may be detected 
and scattered by the bright and penetrating 
rays of eternal truth. Remove prejudice from 
the heart, break down its opposition to God, 
and the clouds of error which hang: over the 
understanding will easily be dispersed by the 
presentation of truth — simply the truth as it is 
in Jesus. And when the understanding is thus 
opened for the reception of this truth, the dis- 



THE REMEDY. 



263 



ease of the heart is revealed to the sinner him- 
self, so pressingly as to extort the humiliating 
confession, " I abhor myself, and repent as in 
dust and ashes." When the spiritual disease is 
thus revealed to the sinner himself — no matter 
what his profession may have been before, 
whether Protestant, Eoman Catholic, Jew, or 
heathen — and is confessed with an "humble 
and penitent heart," then is the time to apply 
the remedy, to bring as vividly as possible be- 
fore the mind's eye the all-sufficient Physician 
of the sin-sick soul, and to urge upon his ac- 
ceptance, with a believing heart, the sovereign 
balm for his wounded spirit. ~No one ever 
prayerfully and believingly tried this remedy in 
vain. On the contrary, thousands of living wit- 
nesses have been raised up, in every age of the 
Church, who could feelingly testify to the ex- 
perimental efficacy of this divine remedy, and 
tens of thousands are now living who can corro- 
borate the truth of their testimony. 

Now that this remedy may prove efficacious, 
it must be presented in the same spirit of love 
with which the Saviour provided it. And let it 
be remembered, that while he boldly rebuked the 
scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, and 
condemned them for trusting in outward ob- 
servances for salvation, he did not in the first 



264 



PRACTICAL ERRORS. 



instance assault their system of religion, but 
even sent those whom he had healed to the 
priests, that they might be purified, ac- 
cording to the prescriptions of the Levitical 
law : but that trait in his character which I 
would more particularly recommend, is the love 
that he manifested even to his most inveterate 
enemies, offering for his very crucifiers, while 
suffering the agonies of the cross, that most ex- 
pressive prayer, "Father, forgive them, for they 
know not what they do!" thus making an apo- 
logy for his murderous enemies, while suffering 
the effect of their malice. Let a portion of this 
love possess and actuate the hearts of God's 
ministers and people, in all their attempts to 
convert sinners, whether they be Roman Catho- 
lics or others, and the God of love will crown 
their efforts with success, so far at least as to 
smile upon their labours, and leave a favourable 
impression upon their hearts, and upon the hearts 
of their hearers. 

If all our missionaries, at home and abroad, 
were deeply imbued with this heavenly spirit, 
whether they labour among Roman Catholics, 
Protestants, Mohammedans, Jews, or heathens, 
addressing themselves directly to the heart, 
trusting in God alone for " the increase," who 
can doubt that the walls of prejudice, supersti- 



BIGOTRY. 



265 



tion, and idolatry would speedily fall before the 
blasts of truth ? Let fiery, narrow-hearted big- 
ots contend about their peculiarities, dispute 
concerning little, unimportant matters, and 
labour to build up their sect merely, while the 
inspired messenger of the cross, with his heart 
filled and expanded with the lore of God and 
man, shall distinguish himself as a flaming 
herald of good news to all men, regardless of 
creeds and confessions, any further than they 
interfere with the essentials of Christianity. 
Such a man will never be confounded. God 
will give him a mouth, which, however wide 
he may open it, shall be filled with words 
and arguments — so filled with truth, that all his 
enemies shall not be able to gainsay him. He 
will proclaim a risen, living Saviour, and his 
hearers will know for themselves that " He ever 
liveth to make intercession for them," because 
he hath shed down upon them the gifts and 
graces of his Holy Spirit. 



266 



TIME FOR ACTION. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Time for action — Claims superior to the ancient crusade — This 
peaceful and saving — Home work — Common error to be 
avoided — If the whole Methodist Episcopal Church were 
deeply devoted and actively engaged, how much good might 
be accomplished — Much more were the entire evangelical 
world thus engaged — Sanctification gives enlarged views — 
Contrast between such and others — Were ministers and peo- 
ple thus devoted, how much good would be done — Tins may 
be accomplished — Motives to try. 

Never was there a time which called louder for 
self-sacrifice, for active and untiring zeal in the 
cause of God, than the present. God is, in- 
deed, pouring his blessings upon us in rich profu- 
sion. And to those who can discern the " signs 
of the times," it must appear most manifest that 
doors are opened and opening in almost every 
land and nation for the promulgation of evan- 
gelical truth. These doors must be entered by 
the man of God, the "land must be possessed," 
the walls of prejudice, superstition, and idolatry, 
must be demolished, the " tall sons of Anak " 
must be conquered in the name of the Lord of 
hosts. The priests and the Levites must enter 
the enemies' territories sword in hand — but it 
must be the " sword of the Spirit, which is the 
word of God," — and take peaceable possession 
of the goodly land. This land must be culti- 



HOLY WARFARE. 



26? 



vated until the " wilderness becomes a fruitful 
field." In a word, heathenism, and every other 
false system of religion, must be assaulted by 
this sword of the Spirit, until they yield to the 
reiterated strokes of truth, and fall prostrate be- 
fore the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

A very different crusade this from that under- 
taken by the valiant knights who girded on the 
sword and helmet, and marched in military 
array for the conquest of the holy land, and to 
rescue the holy sepulchre from the profane 
hands of infidels. These were impelled by an 
enthusiasm kindled by military ardour, fed and 
inflamed by the preaching of Peter the Hermit, 
and by the prospect of civil and temporal do- 
minion, connected, to be sure, with the false 
hope of future reward. But if these chivalrous 
knights could be induced to sacrifice their do- 
mestic comforts for the purpose of embarking 
in such a hazardous and distant enterprise, and 
all for the sake of so uncertain a reward, and in 
the accomplishment of their object must subject 
themselves to such hardships, and expose their 
persons to death on the field of battle, and like- 
wise carry death and destruction to every land 
they conquered, with what holy ardour should 
the Christian soldier be inspired, who marches 
forth protected by the " powers that be," all of 



268 



TIME FOR ACTION. 



whom God has so far either chained, or so sof- 
tened down, as to make them favour the cause 
of his Divine Master — who, instead of carrying 
devastation with him, goes proclaiming " peace 
and good- will to man" — who is inspired with 
the certain prospect of a present and eternal 
reward ! 

Here then is an object sufficiently grand to 
call forth all the energies of the Church, to 
awaken all her sympathies, and to employ all 
her means and capabilities of doing good, of ex- 
erting all her united strength for the conquest 
of the world to our Immanuel. 

But while we are looking abroad, we must 
not be unmindful of our work at home. Indeed, 
if we neglect our own hearts — if we cease to 
cultivate a spirit of deep piety in the churches 
in our own immediate neighbourhood — if we do 
not urge upon ourselves and all with whom we 
have intercourse the necessity of " forgetting the 
things which are behind, and reaching forth to 
the things which are before" — if we do not con- 
tinually press upon ourselves and all our peo- 
ple the absolute necessity of " going on to per- 
fection," of attaining that " perfect love which 
casts out fear" — we shall soon sink into a spirit 
of lukewarmness which will unfit us for ener- 
getic action, and render us powerless in the 



ERRORS TO BE AVOIDED. 269 



work in which we are professedly engaged. If 
we allow the love of the world to absorb our 
attention, the pursuit of wealth to engage our 
affections, we shall thereby render our ministra- 
tions flat and insipid. If we suffer the spirit of 
intrigue to insinuate itself into our counsels, by 
which the strong tries to supplant the weak, the 
selfish to triumph over the honest, faithful dis- 
ciple of the Lord Jesus, and an unholy rivalship 
to jostle us against each other, so as to give evi- 
dence that we are more ambitious for places of 
honour and profit, than we are to occupy posts 
of labour and sacrifice in the cause of Christ, 
we shall have departed from the simplicity of 
the Gospel, and forfeited the character of holy 
Christian ministers. 

I said we must not forget or neglect our own 
hearts. Here is an error into which we are very 
prone to fall. Like " busybodies in other men's 
matters,'' we become extremely anxious for 
others, while we are quite neglectful of our own 
affairs. Like tattlers, who employ their tongues 
in aspersing their neighbours' characters, while 
they are entirely heedless of their own conduct 
any farther than in backbiting their neighbours ; 
so it is with many professed Christians who de- 
light in finding fault with neighbouring churches, 
and casting the stigma of reproach upon all who 



210 



TIME FOR ACTION. 



cannot pronounce the shibboleth of their party, 
while they totally neglect their own hearts, and 
are therefore strangers to that deep experience 
of the love of God which distinguishes the holy 
Christian, and that intimate communion with 
God, through faith in Christ, which results 
from a sanctified nature. The spirit of deep 
experimental and practical piety must be kept 
up in the Church, if we would have the work 
of religion prevail abroad. The fire of divine 
love must be kept continually burning upon our 
domestic and Church altars, in order that its 
pure flame may be irradiated all around us ; and 
when this is the case, our " light will so shine 
before others, that they will see our good works, 
and glorify our Father which is in heaven." 

Now, if the whole Methodist Episcopal Church, 
or even the great majority of its members, minis- 
ters, and people, consisting of upwards of 7 00,000, 
were thus deeply devoted to God, the ministers 
taking the lead in every good work, going be- 
fore the people, devising and executing plans 
of usefulness, setting them an example of holy 
living and acting, so that they could confidently 
say to them, " Follow us, as we follow Christ 
— if this were exemplified, what a vast amount 
of good might be accomplished in a very short 
time ! If the whole Methodist family, in Europe 



ALL SHOULD UNITE. 



271 



and America, numbering upwards of 1,500,000 
souls, were thus devoted, thus holy, thus ac- 
tively engaged in the cause of God, how much 
more extensively would their influence be felt ! 
But were the whole evangelical world to lay 
aside those little points of discrepancy on which 
they may not perfectly agree, and unite their 
strength and combine their energies, and make 
one simultaneous onset upon the empire of sin 
and Satan, how long would it be ere its gigantic 
power should crumble to the dust ? And why, 
I ask, in the name of our common Christianity, 
why may not this be done ? 

That enlarged benevolence which is begotten 
in the heart by the sanctifying operation of the 
Holy Spirit, gives that expansive view of things 
which leads the individual who is under its in- 
fluence to lose sight of those little, unimportant 
things, concerning which the narrow, contracted 
soul is chiefly solicitous, and to fix his attention 
on those essential truths which emanate from 
God, concentrate in Jesus Christ, and which are 
revealed and exemplified in the Gospel of our 
salvation. Under the influence of these truths, 
which, penetrating the depths of his soul, burn 
within him like " fire shut up in his bones," he 
is impelled forward in the grand work of con- 
quering the world to Jesus Christ, While the 



272 



TIME FOR ACTION. 



hard-hearted bigot is tormenting himself about 
all his little peculiarities, and is so scrupulous 
about comparatively trifling rites and ceremonies 
as to neglect the " weightier matters of the law, 
justice, and the love of God," the man whose 
heart is enlarged by the love of God and man, 
and his intellect expanded by a comprehensive 
view of things, will look at these essential truths, 
and throwing himself, with all the weight of his 
talent and influence, upon the broad ocean of 
God's unbounded goodness, he launches forth in 
quest of immortal souls — he becomes a success- 
ful "fisher of men." The little, cramped-up 
soul, will dispute for an hour whether a presby- 
ter should be called an elder or a bishop, or 
about some other equally unimportant matter, 
as whether we may wear a strait or double- 
breasted coat ; while the deeply devoted minister 
of Jesus Christ, leaving these trifles to be settled 
by those who have nothing else to do, is reach- 
ing forth his hand to the lost world, is devising 
liberal things for the extension of the Redeem- 
er's kingdom, and is preaching with all his 
might, " peace to him that is near, and to him 
that is afar off." 

Behold the contrast between the man whose 
soul is drivelled up by the withering influence 
of a selfish sectarian prejudice, whose heart is 



TRUE MEN OF GOD. 2*73 

contracted by a childish attachment to the pue- 
rilities of unessential peculiarities, and he whose 
heart palpitates under an emotion created by- 
God's universal love to mankind, this love filling 
all the avenues of his soul — whose understand- 
ing is so enlightened that he can take a compre- 
hensive survey of the divine administration ; — - 
the latter loses sight, in some sense, of himself ; 
and while he surveys the state and wants of the 
human family, he cries out, in the language of 
the apostle, " The love of Christ constraineth me," 
and impels me on to " reach even beyond my- 
self," far beyond my own little sphere of action, 
by exciting others as well as myself in this holy 
warfare. This is the man of God ! While the 
lilliputian soul, contracted by a supreme love 
of self, draws a circle around himself, and makes 
everything contribute to his own self-exaltation, 
calling all that move within that circle his friends, 
and repelling all others as enemies ; the man 
of God, whose soul is expanded by the eternal 
Spirit, draws a circle around the universe, and 
though he may not count all within it his per- 
sonal friends, he is sure that no one has any cause 
to be his enemy, because his heart overflows 
with love and good- will to all men — and with 
his heart throbbing and heaving with pulsations 
of compassion for the souls of the whole world, 
18 



214: TIME FOR ACTION. 

basing his declaration upon the broad commis- 
sion of his risen Lord and Master, he adopts the 
memorable saying of the immortal Wesley, 
" The world is my parish/' 

How great the contrast ! The narrow mind 
and contracted heart of the selfish egotist, with 
his views limited to the little sphere in which he 
moves, and his eyes dimmed with the love of 
ease, or the more contemptible passion, the love 
of money, indulges himself in espying and ex- 
posing the faults of others, in transmuting a 
foible into a crime, and magnifying an innocent 
infirmity into a wilful sin, until the corroding 
jealousy of his heart eats out every good and 
kindlier feeling he might have once possessed, 
and he finally settles down into a moody mel- 
ancholy, by which he makes himself and all that 
come within his reach discontented, and un- 
happy because he and they are discontented. 
Not so the holy man of God. His heart con- 
tinually palpitates with a delightful view of the 
goodness of God, and dilates with pious grati- 
tude for the profusion of His past mercies, from 
a consciousness of present blessings, and from 
the blooming prospect which looms up before 
him. So far from complaining, and whining 
over the failings, whether real or imaginary, of 
his brethren, stunning the ears of his friends 



DEVOTION TO GOD. 



215 



with his piteous moanings on the infirmities of 
others, he marches forward, like Bunyan's Pil- 
grim, sword in hand, boldly encounters difficul- 
ties as they occur, avails himself of every favour- 
able opportunity of enlarging the sphere of his 
usefulness, and encourages all with whom he 
has intercourse, by reminding them of the bright 
prospect before them, as well as by admonishing 
them of the dangers which surround them, 
provided they faint in the way, to persevering 
diligence in the cause of God. This is the man 
— this the minister, who fulfils the high behests 
of his Sovereign ! 

Now, if the Methodist ministers and people 
were thus actively engaged — were thus to con- 
secrate their all, soul and body, time and sub- 
stance, to the service of mankind, how extensive 
would be their influence ! If all our academies 
and colleges were thus hallowed, thus sanctified 
to God, what noble-hearted youth would pour 
forth from their sacred enclosures, fully prepared, 
not only by literature and science, but also by 
pure religion, for the ministry of reconciliation, 
and for any other useful profession. With what 
soul- stirring eloquence would these youth, thus 
" baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire," 
" preach the unsearchable riches of Christ!" 
Instead of entertaining their hearers with a dry, 



2<6 



TIME FOR ACTION. 



monotonous sound of words without meaning, 
and lulling them to sleep with curious disquisi- 
tions on mere speculative points of philosophy, 
or even of divinity, they would enter into the 
soul, dive into the depths of the human heart, 
and make the sinner feel the weight of his sins, 
and tremble under a sense of his high responsi- 
bility to God — he would believingly point the 
penitent mourner to the "Lamb of God that 
taketh away the sin of the world," nor leave 
him until he is thoroughly washed from all his 
sins, and made " white in the blood of the 
Lamb." 

And who will say that this cannot be 
done ? Who will say that it is impossible for the 
Church thus to arise in the strength of God, be 
clothed with the garments of salvation, be tho- 
roughly equipped for the warfare, and " go forth 
from conquering to conquer ?" 

Let him say it who has not faith in God. Let 
him whose gloomy apprehension is always fore- 
boding evil ; who delights — if indeed he has 
any delight — in looking upon the dark side of 
everything — who distrusts the promises of God, 
has no confidence in the prophetic Scriptures, 
nor any expectation of the universal spread of 
the Gospel — let such a one sit down and pine 
over the sad state of this world, and the back- 



HOLY COURAGE, 



211 



slidings of God's people, and discourage all 
with whom he comes in contact, by saying 
*' that there are giants in the land/' with whom 
it is in vain for these feeble few, already " shorn 
of their strength/' to contend, while the Calebs 
and Joshuas among us shall silence their dis- 
heartening clamour by asserting, "We are well 
able to go up and possess the land." Let such 
" gird up the loins of their mind," and putting 
on the " breast-plate of faith, and for hope the 
helmet of salvation," look up to the God of all 
grace, in the full confidence of earnest prayer, 
and go forth in the name of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and they shall prosper in the glorious 
work in which they are engaged. 

I must beg permission for one more chapter, 
in which I shall endeavour to make a short re- 
capitulation of the whole subject, and bring it 
to bear with solemn weight upon the consciences 
of all concerned. 



218 



RECAPITULATION, 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

Recapitulation — defects allowed — Facts and arguments unavail- 
able — Thanks to those who have volunteered their aid — 
Anonymous assailants unworthy of notice — Comparison be- 
tween her present strength and former feebleness — Two 
characters prone to find fault — The sleepy professor and the 
one recently awakened — Bright prospects — Much yet remains 
to be done — subjects chiefly dwelt upon — How the work must 
be spread — The work of sanctification must be pressed — A 
word to the Methodists — Entire consecration necessary to 
the realization of our hopes. 

I have endeavoured to show that the Methodists 
have made rapid improvements in numbers, in 
wealth, in church-building, in missionary and 
tract operations, in publishing books, in sup- 
porting their preachers, in founding academies 
and colleges, in literature and science, as well 
as in holiness of heart and life. The question 
has not been whether or not we are deficient in 
any of these particulars, but whether we are 
more deficient now than formerly. I have al- 
lowed all along that we are not as holy as we 
might be, nor, consequently, as extensively use- 
ful in the above departments as we might have 
been, had we been as unreservedly and as 
universally devoted to God as we should have 
been. 

Who that surveys out* past histoiy, and com- 
pares our former feebleness in respect to num- 



COMPARISON OF NUMBERS. 



279 



bers, wealth, intellectual and spiritual enjoy- 
ments, with our present state and our present 
advantages, but must be filled with adoring 
gratitude to God for what he hath wrought ? 
In 1766 there were but five members, all immi- 
grants, in the Methodist society in the city of 
New- York, and these were so poor and obscure 
that they assembled for divine worship in a pri- 
vate room, and Philip Embury, a local preacher, 
preached to them the first Methodist sermon 
ever preached in America.* But " behold how 

* I heard it asserted, not long since, by a minister, that 
he did not believe we had as many church-members now in 
the city of New- York, in proportion to the population, as 
we had when we possessed only the old John-street church. 
This assertion led me to search and compare. I do not 
know to what particular year he alluded, and, indeed, he 
must have made a random shot, or he never would have 
shot so wide of the mark. 

On looking at the Minutes for 1773, which is the oldest 
record we have, I find the number at that time in the Me- 
thodist society, in the city of New- York, to have been one 
hundred and eighty. I have no means of ascertaining the 
entire population of the city at that time, but I presume it 
did not exceed 25,000, as in 1790 there were 33,131, which 
is the oldest record of the population I can find. This 
would give one Methodist for about every one hundred 
and thirty-eight of the population. The present population 
cannot be over 500,000, and the number of church-members 
is 9,313, which will give one for about fifty -three. 

So near the truth did this speaker come ; that is to say, 
he fell about three times short of the actual truth ! So little 
reliance can be placed upon vague conjectures, for I presume 



280 



RECAPITULATION. 



great a matter a little fire kindletli !" The fire 
of Divine love which burned in their hearts soon 
kindled in others, and it has continued to burn 
and blaze until thousands have been melted 
down, and run into the mould of the Gospel, 
and they are now shining in all the likeness of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. Those five have multi- 
plied so fast, that in eighty-four years they 
have increased, including the North and South, 
to upwards of 1,100,000. And, if we may 
judge from present indications, from the revi- 
vals now going on in different parts of the coun- 
try, we may console ourselves in the belief that 
the fire continues to burn as intensely as ever; 
and I humbly trust that the many waters of 
strife, that the army of croakers shall throw 
upon it, will not be able to extinguish its pure 
flame. 

It is now forty-seven years since I was re- 
ceived on trial in the New- York Conference. 
At that time there were 86,734 members in the 
United States. Now, as before said, there are 
upwards of 1,100,000, besides, perhaps, 100,000 
connected with other bodies of Methodists, who 

that this speaker had never made a calculation with a view 
to ascertain the comparative strength of Methodism at the 
time to which he alluded. It shows, moreover, the danger 
of allowing our prejudices to guide our decisions, lest the 
tongue inadvertently utter an untruth. 



TWO CHARACTERS. 



281 



have seceded from us, but hold fast to our doc- 
trine and moral discipline, making, in all, about 
1,200,000. 

I wish those especially who are mourning 
over the desolations of the Church, and whin- 
ingly predicting the overthrow of pure religion, 
to look at these facts, and then to connect with 
them the further facts I have exhibited, namely, 
the increase of evangelical religion among other 
denominations, and see if they cannot derive an 
argument against their own melancholy hypo- 
thesis, that spiritual darkness is again spreading 
its gloom over the world. 

There are two characters which are perpetually 
tormenting themselves, and filling all others with 
whom they come in contact with unbelief. The 
one is asleep himself, and therefore disqualified 
to see and judge of things as they are. Judging 
others by himself, he persuades himself that all 
others are asleep, and consequently he is dream- 
ing over things in his morbid imagination, all of 
which are as unreal as the fitful visions conjured 
up in the brains of the wildest enthusiast. He 
is not unlike the drunkard, who imagines that the 
trees and the houses are falling over his head, 
and every person in the street is staggering, 
merely because he has his own brains turned by 
intoxicating liquor. The only difficulty is with 



282 RECAPITULATION. 



himself. Let his own head and heart get right, 
and he will feel and judge accurately respecting 
others. So let sleepy, dreaming professors of 
religion " awake to righteousness," and no longer 
indulge in their sinful sloth, and they will see 
things as they are, and will no longer torment 
themselves, and render all over whom they may 
have influence unhappy, by their doleful com- 
plaints that spectres and hobgoblins are infest- 
ing the Church with their foul and pestiferous 
breath. 

The other probably has been dozing for years 
in a comparatively dormant state of religious pro- 
fession ; but, by some fortunate circumstance, he 
has been recently aroused from his slumbers, had 
his " eyes anointed with eye-salve" — with the 
oil of God's grace — and he erroneously imagines 
that all his fellow-professors are in a similar state 
to that from which he has been so mercifully de- 
livered : in this excited state he sounds the alarm, 
as though the entire Church, except himself and 
a few others of kindred spirit, were all still asleep 
in the arms of Satan. His puny attacks excite 
only the smile of contempt on the face of a]l well- 
disposed persons, whose maturity of experience 
and enlightened judgment qualify them to give 
an impartial decision, while a feeling of pity is 
begotten in the breasts of those who take an 



GOOD PROSPECTS. 



283 



enlarged and comprehensive view of the whole 
subject, and consequently draw their conclusions 
from indisputable data. 

These erroneous views, arising from a partial 
and contracted survey of ihfe subject, do immense 
harm. They not only tend to cast a gloom over 
the mind of the devoted Christian, — that is, so 
far as they are heeded, — but they discourage the 
timid believer, make the faint-hearted still more 
faint, and, like the irresolute spies who brought 
up an evil report from the land of Canaan, they 
spread death over the camp of our Israel, and 
beget unbelief in the hearts of those who other- 
wise would be " strong in the Lord of hosts, and 
the power of his might." Let then the Calebs 
and Joshuas arise, and put to flight this army of 
everlasting croakers, who are ever and anon cry- 
ing out, the Methodists are fallen — the ministers 
are shorn of their strength, and the people are 
sharing in their weakness. 

Instead of indulging in these mournful com- 
plaints, let us 

" Praise God for all that is past, 
And trust him for all that's to conie." 

We have seen how the expansive power of 
this religion has swelled the hearts of God's peo- 
ple, until they have overflowed with love and 
good-will to man; and those streams of divine 



284 



RECAPITULATION. 



love have flowed out so plentifully that they have 
watered the fields of our neighbours. Hence 
the several members of the great spiritual 
family are acting unitedly, combining their 
strength and influence to carry destruction into 
the enemies' territories, and to introduce and 
establish therein the kingdom of " righteousness, 
and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." These 
things considered in connexion with the "signs 
of the times," namely, the diffusion of the prin- 
ciples of civil freedom and religious toleration 
among the heathen and Mohammedan nations, 
the prostration of the temporal power of the 
Pope,* the crushing of civil despotism, seem to 

* Since the above was written, I see there is a prospect of 
the return of the Pope to his temporal dominion. But though 
the French nation has disgraced itself by thus falsifying the 
principles on which its late revolution was founded, and vio- 
lated its constitution by interfering in the government of other 
nations — and though it may succeed in reinstating the Pope 
in his former position — it remains to be seen whether he will 
long hold his power, and whether the fire of liberty which 
has been kindled up in Italy and other states of Europe shall 
be extinguished, or whether it will not again break forth 
with increased violence, and burn up the "hay, wood, and 
stubble," which have so long encumbered the ground on 
which those kingdoms have been built, and on which their 
rotten superstructures now rest, though in a very insecure 
state. 

These thoughts induce me to leave the sentence in the text 
the same as I wrote it, more than a year since. 



MUCH TO BE DONE. 



285 



indicate the near approach of that day of millen- 
nial glory, so long since predicted, and so long 
expected by the Christian Church. 

Notwithstanding, however, these favourable 
symptoms in the body politic, and these evi- 
dences of new life in the body ecclesiastic, there 
still remains much, very much indeed, to be done 
before the universal reign of Jesus Christ shall 
be seen and felt. To accomplish this grand con- 
summation, the Church must arise in the majesty 
of her strength, or, rather, in the strength of 
her divine Head, and in His Name put forth her 
utmost energies, regardless of danger, regardless 
of the sacrifice of wealth, of labour, both in the 
ministry and membership, and unitedly go forth 
to the conquest of the world. So far from this 
being a time to pause in our career of usefulness, 
to rest from our labour, or to relax in any mea- 
sure in our efforts, it is the time — the very time — 
for renewed exertions — for renewed sacrifices — 
and for the exercise of strong faith in God — for 
unremitting and prayerful diligence in the cause 
of man's salvation. 

These are the subjects chiefly dwelt upon in 
the preceding numbers. How far they are cal- 
culated to accomplish their design, I presume 
not to determine ; but this one thing I am fully 
conscious of, and that is, that they have been 



286 



RECAPITULATION. 



penned under a high sense of responsibility ; 
and hence I have found my own heart much en- 
larged and warmed with divine love while thus 
employed, and feel therefore that I have not 
run without being sent. 

Should then any one find himself quickened 
into new life and activity by reading what I have 
written, let him give God the glory, and then 
enter upon his work with renovated faith and 
courage. If only thus much is done, I shall not 
lose my reward ; for he that is thus affected will 
communicate the holy impulse he may feel to 
another, and that other to his fellow- Christian, 
and so the work will spread from heart to heart, 
until, finally, " Many shall run to and fro, and 
knowledge shall be increased,' ' and the wake, 
though small in the beginning, will continually 
enlarge its circumference until it shall be co-ex- 
tensive with the whole human family. As to 
making a general and simultaneous impression 
upon the whole Church, much less upon the 
whole world, at one and the same time, I have 
no faith in it, though doubtless the work of re- 
formation will become more and more general, 
more and more deep and genuine, as it progresses, 
— the work of justification and sanctification will 
continually increase in power and influence, and 
the holy example of God's people will be more 



DEDICATION TO GOD. 



287 



and more powerfully felt, and hence will bo of 
more and more beneficial influence. We must 
therefore first excite one to renewed action, by 
strengthening his faith in the promises of God, 
and he will lead another, and then others, and 
thus a powerful stimulus will be applied to the 
hearts of God's people, and so the movement 
will continually enlarge its circumference, until 
finally the whole Christian world will be in a 
vigorous motion in the right direction. "The 
Spirit and the bride" must first " say, Come," 
and then those who obey the invitation will join 
their fellows in saying " Come," and they will 
ultimately all unite in one simultaneous cry, utter- 
ing the thrilling invitation, " Let whosoever will, 
come, and take of the waters of life freely." 

"What I wish above all other things is, that I 
may be instrumental, in the first place, in causing 
the Methodists, in the way just now indicated, 
to see and duly appreciate the high obligations 
they are under to Almighty God, in consequence 
of their innumerable and unmerited blessings, to 
dedicate themselves, in soul and body, in time 
and substance, to God — that they, should seek 
after — seek with earnestness — with persevering 
faith and prayer, — an entire sanctification of 
their natures — to make an entire consecration of 
their all to the service of God. Let this be their 



288 



RECAPITULATION, 



primary object — the mark at which they con- 
stantly aim. Let the ministers, from a deep con- 
viction of its attainableness, press the necessity 
of this home upon themselves and all their peo- 
ple. Let the ministers especially remember that 
they who bear the vessels of the Lord should 
have clean hands and pure hearts. God's de- 
sign is that the sons of Levi should be holy, for 
then shall their offerings be well-pleasing in His 
sight. 

This accomplished, they will feel the energies 
of the Holy Spirit working mightily in them, 
begetting a holy ardour in the cause of God, 
which will prompt them to every good word and 
work. Their " work of faith and labour of love" 
will be acceptable, and their prayers will be 
heard and answered. The pride of sect, the 
pride of self, that cursed love of money, by 
which so many souls are ruined, and the charac- 
ter of some ministers blasted forever — the love 
of personal aggrandizement, and the pride of 
Pharisaism, will all be destroyed, and the love 
of God and man, that burning desire which 
prompts its possessor to continual acts of self- 
denial, to deeds of noble heroism in the cause 
of Christ, will have taken the place of those 
earth-born passions, and all such will move for- 
ward in one firm and harmonious phalanx against 



EFFECTS OF DILIGENCE, 



289 



error and sin, and never lay down their arms 
until the world is conquered to Christ. 

To my more immediate brethren I beg per- 
mission to say, " Be steadfast, immovable, always 
abounding in the work of the Lord." That God 
had a special design, and that a benevolent one, 
in raising up the Methodists, I have no doubt. 
So long as they continue to be " co-workers with 
Him/' strive to promote His cause with all pu- 
rity and sincerity, He will continue to smile upon 
them, and prosper the work of their hearts and 
hands. If, however, they should cease thus to 
do, but should " turn aside to vain jangling," 
preach or write from vain glory, seek to be 
great instead of studying to be good, they may 
expect God's frown to be substituted for His 
smile, and they will soon sink down into a spirit 
of lukewarmness, will gradually imbibe a vain- 
glorious spirit, and finally be distinguished for 
having a "form of godliness, but denying the 
power thereof." 

On the other hand, if they shall live up to 
their high and distinguished privileges, im- 
prove their advantages with conscientious dili- 
gence, and unitedly go forward in their work, 
preaching their doctrine, enforcing their disci- 
pline, so as to " purge out the old leaven of 
malice and wickedness," wherever it is found, 
19 



290 



RECAPITULATION. 



whether in high or low places, God will make 
them still a praise in the earth, and they shall 
continue to be instrumental in diffusing light 
and heat — the light of truth and the heat of 
love— throughout the wide circle of their in- 
fluence. 

That this may be done, and that these an- 
ticipations may be fully realized, let us conse- 
crate ourselves anew to the service of God. 
Laying aside our bickerings about little, unim- 
portant things, and " forgetting the things which 
are behind, let us press towards the mark of 
the prize of our high calling of God in Christ 
Jesus." May God send his choicest benedic- 
tions upon his Church, and cause her to become 
"the perfection of beauty," out of which he 
" shall continue to shine" until the whole world 
shall become enlightened, and raise one univer- 
sal song of praise to God, " who hath washed 
them, and made them white in the blood of the 
Lamb." 



APPENDIX. 



No. r. 

An examination of the definition, " Methodism without philoso- 
phy" — A rep]y to P. — Two errors do not constitute a truth — 
The author deviates from his general rule, for the purpose of 
testing the solidity of the above maxim — He acknowledges an 
inadvertence in language — On this account excuses P. for 
some things he has said, but rebukes him for others— These 
things an evidence of human infirmity — The erroneousness of 
the definition — It excludes doctrines, usages, and ordinances 
— Makes Methodism without body and soul — The definition 
denied — It contemns God's inspired messengers — the re- 
formers — Wesley himself — Theological schools not the nur- 
series of heresies — Proved in sundry instances — Nor are col- 
leges — An apology for these schools — May be useful — If Me- 
thodism be religion without philosophy, then no true religion 
till Methodism arose — This proved — What Methodism is. 

Is " Methodism religion without philosophy ?" I think 
not. For dissenting, however, from this assumed 
apothegm, I have been taken to task by an anony- 
mous writer in the Christian Advocate and Journal 
of March 8, 1849, in which he endeavours to make 
it appear that I have been equally inconsistent with 
the author of the above definition of Methodism. 
Allowing this to be true, I perceive not how it can 
prove the accuracy of the definition, unless the 
writer absurdly supposes that two inconsistencies 
can produce one consistency, or that two errors 
can constitute a truth. 



292 



APPENDIX. — NO. I. 



For the purpose of an examination of the truth 
of this definition of Methodism, and of testing the 
solidity of the reasoning of P., as my anonymous 
and friendly antagonist has chosen to designate him- 
self, I have concluded to deviate, in this instance, 
from my general rule, not to notice an anonymous 
assailant, and endeavour to furnish an answer to 
some of his allegations. I can do this now the more 
leisurely, and, I trust, also in the spirit of brotherly 
love, as I have finished my numbers on the State 
and Responsibilities of the Church, and have con- 
sequently had time to pray over and to deliberate 
upon it. Indeed, I was determined not to be di- 
verted from the course marked out for me by any 
trivial cause, until I had completed what I had to 
say on those subjects. My friend P. will please ac- 
cept this as an apology for delaying so long to no- 
tice his brotherly strictures. 

In the first place, I have to acknowledge a little 
inadvertence in my language in the piece on which 
P. animadverts, in saying that the Methodists had 
"added" to the cardinal doctrines I had just enu- 
merated that of " entire sanctification of soul and 
body to God, or holiness of heart and life," which 
inadvertence has afforded P. a gracious opportunity 
of displaying his wit, by an unmeaning play upon 
words, as though, because I had perpetrated a blun- 
der, therefore his friend was unquestionably right. 
This is just as logical as it would be for me to con- 
clude, that because B. is guilty of drunkenness, 
therefore A. is justified in profane swearing. 



APPENDIX. NO. I. 293 

But, in consideration of the above inadvertence 
in language, I excuse P. for some things he has said, 
though they amount to just nothing in his favour, 
as we shall more fully see presently ; and proceed to 
remark, that it by no means excuses him from quot- 
ing me wrong in another particular. He represents 
me as saying that we had " added" " the direct wit- 
ness of the Spirit, with its inseparable fruits whereas 
my words are, " I know not but that I should add the 
doctrine of the direct witness, and its inseparable re- 
sults, the fruits of the Spirit ; as these, however close- 
ly they may be incorporated in their articles of faith, 
and alluded to in their formularies of devotion, are 
not insisted upon by other denominations as they 
should be, in their public instructions, or in the incul- 
cations of the pulpit." Now, is not here a full ac- 
knowledgment that this doctrine of the witness and 
fruits of the Spirit was held by the other denomina- 
tions to which I allude ? — and therefore I intro- 
duced the remarks by the hypothetical phrase, " I 
know not," intimating thereby that I doubted the 
propriety of saying that this should be added, be- 
cause I was aware that it was " incorporated in their 
articles of faith, and alluded to in their formula- 
ries of devotion " and hence I mentioned it merely 
because it was not " insisted upon as it should be in 
their public instructions." 

The same should have been said, I allow, in re- 
spect to " entire sanctification, or holiness of heart 
and life," as this doctrine is also contained in their 
"articles of faith, and alluded to in their formula- 



294 APPENDIX.— XO. I, 

ries of devotion," " but it is brought out more promi- 
nently by us than it is by other denominations," 
which is the alteration I have made in the copy I 
have to print by, should the numbers be printed in 
a book. 

Thus much I have thought it right to say, both in 
justice to myself and in excuse for my anonymous 
critic, as well as by way of rebuke for his inadvert- 
ence in misrepresenting me, by quoting my words 
erroneously. I have had too much expeiience in 
composing and transcribing not to know the diffi- 
culty of expressing one's self always accurately, or 
of selecting the most suitable word to convey the 
idea that occupies the mind, to attribute the above 
inaccuracy of P. to wilful misrepresentation ; but he 
was so elated with the thought that he had caught 
me in a trap, and therefore could involve me in the 
same dilemma in which I had involved his friend, 
that he not only overlooked the illogical inference 
which he drew, namely, "that two wrongs make 
a right," but also, unintentionally, misquoted my 
words. 

Leaving him and our readers to meditate upon 
these sad evidences of human infirmity, and taking, 
for the present, no further notice of the criticisms 
of my unknown friend P., whose remarks speak 
more favourably for his heart than they do for his 
head, I will now endeavour to test the soundness of 
the maxim, that "Methodism is religion without 
philosophy." That I might not misapprehend the 
author, I have re-read the article on that subject in 



APPENDIX. NO. i. 



295 



the Methodist Quarterly Beview, and am more 
deeply than ever convinced of the utter absurdity 
of the definition. 

Whoever will read that article with attention, 
will find that its author excludes from Methodism 
all its doctrines, whether peculiar or otherwise, even 
the witness of the Spirit, the doctrine of regenera- 
tion and sanctification ; all its peculiar modes of 
operation, such as class-meetings, and the itinerancy, 
or any other peculiarity by which we have been all 
along distinguished ; none of these things, according 
to him, make any part of Methodism. Why not ? 
Simply, the author says, because it existed without 
and before them. Well, then, according to this 
writer's opinion, Methodism could exist and flourish 
independently of the doctrine of the eternity and 
unity, and other perfections of God; the Deity, in- 
carnation, and atonement of Christ ; the doctrine of 
repentance, justification, and sanctification of the 
sinner, and all those cardinal truths by which we 
have been characterized from the beginning, and 
likewise all those usages by which we have been 
distinguished from other denominations. 

These excluded, what have we left ? Why, a 
" religion without philosophy." Yes, and without 
divinity too. For if all our doctrines are discarded 
as constituting no part of Methodism, then we have 
a Methodism that is a religion without doctrines ! 
But, according to him, both our class-meetings and 
itinerancy may be laid aside, as neither do they 
constitute any part of Methodism, because, says he, 



296 



APPENDIX.-— NO. I. 



it existed before them. Here, then, we have a Me- 
thodism stripped of all its doctrines, of its mode of 
propagating them, in a word, of all its cardinal prin- 
ciples, and all its external features ; for he says that 
its church organization is no part of it, inasmuch as 
it existed before any such organization, and finally 
stripped of its philosophy. Pray tell us what we 
have left. It has neither a soul nor a body. It 
may, therefore, be classed with Berkeley and Hume's 
ideal world, having no existence but in the imagi- 
nation of deluded mortals. 

What perception can we possibly form of a reli- 
gion destitute of all its fundamental principles, and 
of all its peculiar modes of operation, and which, 
therefore, has neither- shape nor consistence ? 

It has, in fact, neither doctrines, organization, or- 
dinances, nor any peculiar means of procedure, 
such as class-meetings and the itinerancy, and 
hence it is bereft of every feature of either shape 
or substance, not having even the meager form 
of "philosophy" to distinguish it among its fellow 
isms. 

But, independently of these absurd puerilities, I 
positively deny that " Methodism is religion ivithont 
philosophy" unless the author meant by philosophy, 
a false, spurious, skeptical philosophy, which, from 
the subsequent parts of his article, it appears he did 
not ; for surely he did not mean to assert, as censo- 
rious as he was upon Methodist preachers, that they 
had adopted such a system of infidel philosophy, by 
the adoption of which they had vitiated their Metho* 



APXENDIX. NO. I. 



297 



dism, and rendered their ministrations inert, ineffi- 
cient, and powerless. He must have meant, there- 
fore, that philosophy which is distinguished by a 
course of consecutive reasoning, otherwise his obser- 
vations could have no point, no appropriateness ; 
for surely he did not spend his strength to prove 
that pure religion was not mixed up with an infidel 
philosophy, and that the Methodist preachers, for 
whose special benefit he wrote, had incorporated 
this spurious offspring of a disordered imagination 
into their method of preaching. 

Now, to say that philosophy, or a method of con- 
secutive reasoning, is incompatible with Methodism, 
or pure religion, is to contemn God's inspired pro- 
phets, the Lord Jesus, and his apostles, who all rea- 
soned with the people in the most cogent manner, 
as well as delivered their messages in an authorita- 
tive or commanding style. To quote the numerous 
texts of sacred Scripture in support of this assertion 
would be almost an endless task, as the Bible 
abounds with examples of this sort. 

It is to contemn Wesley himself — to say nothing 
of all the reformers who preceded him — who was 
among the most acute and accomplished logicians of 
his age, whose writings abound with philosophical 
disquisitions, and whose treatise upon logic is among 
the most erudite, as well as short and comprehensive 
treatises we have upon that subject. And how se- 
verely did he criticise Locke for his aversion to 
logic ! He teach a M religion without philosophy !" 
Never ! Read his sermons, his appeal to men of 



298 



APPENDIX. — NO. I. 



reason and religion, and his various tracts upon dif- 
ferent subjects, and you will soon find yourself in 
company with a man that could bring all his vast in- 
tellectual powers to bear with luminous effect upon 
doctrinal, experimental, and practical religion, illus- 
trating the whole by the finest touches of reason, or 
true philosophy. He could show, and did show, 
that the religion of the Bible was perfectly conso- 
nant with the purest dictates of reason ; that it is 
founded in the immutable relations subsisting among 
God's rational creatures — their relation to God, to 
one another, and to the world, both animate and in- 
animate, around them. This was no " religion with- 
out philosophy," without doctrines, without forms of 
worship, a mere ideal thing — if it be not nonsense 
to call such an imaginary phantom a thing — exist- 
ing I know not where. 

But the object of the writer I am considering is 
obvious enough. He aimed a blow at theological 
seminaries. His remarks upon these show either a 
total misapprehension of their history and character, 
or, what is far worse, a culpable misrepresentation. 
He says, " that almost, if not fully, all the pestilen- 
tial errors which have become prevalent in the seve- 
ral branches of the Church, may be traced to these 
seminaries." 

This assertion, to say the least of it, betrays great 
prejudice against institutions which, though liable 
to great abuse — and what good thing has not been 
abused by the ignorance, selfishness, and pride of 
men, even the purest system of religion ever re- 



APPENDIX. NO. I. 



299 



vealed to the world* — have been instrumental of 
diffusing much light upon the world. But to say 
that " nearly all the pestilential errors in the se veral 
branches of the Church may be traced to theological 
seminaries," shows an inexcusable inattention to ec- 
clesiastical history, or a want of an accurate acquaint- 
ance with the current of events. This, coming as it 
does from a man who has made the profound dis- 
covery that " Methodism is religion without philoso- 
phy," is deserving of a severer rebuke than I shall 
take it upon me to administer. 

It is but sixty-five years since the first theological 
seminary was established in the United States, and 
this was founded by the Dutch Reformed Church, 
in New-Brunswick, N. J., in 1 784. The next was 
established by the Congregationalists, in Andover, 
Mass,, in 1808. Then followed the one in Prince- 
ton, N. J., in 1812, under the patronage of the 
Presbyterian Church. Since that time they have 
been established by nearly all the orthodox deno- 
minations in the country, and now amount to thirty- 
five,f including the one among the Methodists, in 
Concord, N. H. 

Have these generated nearly all the heresies with 

o " For naught so vile that on the earth doth live 
But to the earth some special good doth give ; 
Nor aught so good, but, strain'd from that fair use, 
Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse : 
Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied ; 
And vice sometimes by action dignified." — Shahspeare, 
t See American Almanac for 1818. 



300 APPENDIX. NO. I. 

which the Church has been afflicted, and the pure 
truths of the Gospel corrupted ? Unless our author 
counts the peculiarities of Calvinism among heresies, 
I know not a single heresiarch who has been fos- 
tered in any of these schools ; and even allowing 
these to be heresies, they did not originate in these 
seminaries, for they were propagated long before 
these were founded. And Arianism, which sprang 
up in the 4th century, and Socinianism, or TTnita- 
rianism, which originated in the 16th century, or 
Universalism, which sprang up among the Re- 
formers of the 17th centuiy, allowing them to be 
heresies, did not originate from theological schools, 
but from men of a disputatious spirit, and too cu- 
rious in their speculations on the Divine character, 
and of his designs to our fallen world. 

As to mere modern heresies, such as Milleriteism, 
Mormonism, and other kindred sects of heretics, no 
man who is acquainted with their originators will ac- 
cuse them of being over learned, or as having re- 
ceived their lessons in theological seminaries. In a 
word, though some of the heresiarchs were both 
learned and wise in worldly wisdom, the far greater 
number of them, and especially those who were dis- 
tinguished by the grossness of their errors, were 
more characterized by their stupid ignorance, mixed 
it is true with much low cunning, than they were 
for either learning or piety. So far are these 
schools from being responsible for the absurdities 
involved in the above heresies, they have produced 
men of the most profound theological knowledge 



APPENDIX. NO. I, 



301 



and deep piety of which any age of the Church can 
boast. 

If our author alludes to the ancient schools of the 
Church, which I presume he did not, his assertion is 
equally wide of the mark. Whence sprang the 
Gnostics, the Cerinthians, the Nazarenes, and the 
Ebionites, of the first and second centuries ? Cer- 
tainly not from theological schools, for there were 
none such in existence.* And whence originated 
Mohammedanism, the most corrupt and gigantic of 

* I know that Mosheim supposes that there were such 
seminaries in the first and second centuries ; but his learned 
translator, Murdock, very justly doubts the fact, and in- 
deed makes it evident that the schools referred to could 
have been no higher than catechetical schools, designed for 
the initiation of young people into the principles of Chris- 
tianity. They were not intended for the theological instruc- 
tion of ministers. The schools afterwards established in 
Alexandria, and other places, I grant, by being taught by 
men who were but half Christians, at best, became the pro- 
lific source of numerous errors. By endeavouring to blend 
the Platonic philosophy with Christianity, they gradually 
corrupted the latter, until it finally degenerated into a 
gloomy system of monkery and superstition. 

From this same source originated the scholastic theology, 
which professed to explain Scripture facts and truths by 
the rules of metaphysics. But these schools were not es- 
tablished for the exclusive benefit of ministers, though many 
of them were educated in them. They were as unlike our 
modern theological seminaries as the cloak of St. Paul was 
to a modern surplice. But I presume our author had no re- 
ference to those ancient schools, but to modern theological 
seminaries. See Mosh., vol. i, pp. 81, 111, 168, 177, 178, 
182, 262, 320, 387, 408, 435. 



302 



APPENDIX. NO. I. 



all the heresies which ever brooded over our world ? 
Was its author educated in a theological seminary ? 
He arose in the seventh century ; and was so ignorant 
of letters that he could neither read nor write, from 
which his followers inferred the divinity of his mis- 
sion. And this proves incontestably that error or 
heresy is oftener associated with unlettered igno- 
rance than with sound learning ; for the more 
deeply and soundly learned a man is, and especially 
if he be pious, the more modest and humble he is ; 
whereas an ignorant fanatic — and all errorists are 
fanatics — is characterized by unblushing effrontery. 
Of the truth of this Mohammed is a witness — and 
the father of Mormonism another. 

These pestilential heresies originated from that 
pride which is always associated with ignorance, 
and displays its folly in being " wise above what is 
written." And so all the destructive heresies which 
originated from time to time in the early ages of the 
Church, may be traced, not to Christian schools, of 
which there were exceedingly few, and those few 
were designed chiefly for catechumens, but to the 
morbid imagination of men who endeavoured to 
blend Christianity with the fanciful reveries of hea- 
then mythology, Platonic philosophy, and Jewish 
fable. But what have these to do with theological 
seminaries, as now constituted and conducted ? 

If the writer under review means by theological 
seminaries, those colleges where the arts and sciences 
are taught, together with such theological studies as 
are pursued by those students who are designed for 



APPENDIX. NO. X. 



303 



the Gospel ministry, then his declaration is equally- 
erroneous, as comparatively few of these have been 
heretical, though they have generally fallen short 
of a thorough training in experimental and practi- 
cal divinity. And as to these schools or colleges, 
we are indebted to them, under the grace of God, 
for some of the greatest lights the world has ever 
seen. All the reformers, Luther, Melancthon, 
Knox, Cranmer, were thorough scholars, learned in 
all the arts and sciences, deeply read in history and 
philosophy. And were not Wesley and Fletcher 
taught in colleges, and were they a whit behind any 
of their fellow-students in sound learning, in deep 
experience, as well as in true philosophy ? Here- 
sies are oftener found, as before remarked, asso- 
ciated with unlettered ignorance, than with those 
whose minds have been expanded with learning. 
And who shall defend Christianity when it is as- 
sailed by the cunning artifices of an infidel philoso- 
phy, by the ingenious sophistries of learned skeptics ? 
Can ignorance grapple with these giant intellects ? 
Can unlettered men meet learned infidels, who pro- 
fess to derive their objections from history, ancient 
and modern, from verbal criticisms upon the mean- 
ing of the learned languages, and from philosophical 
disquisitions which profess to dive into the nature 
of things ? If the Church had been left to such un- 
lettered defenders, she would have been long since 
buried beneath the rubbish of error, of heresy, and 
unbelief. 

I am no advocate for theological seminaries, con- 



304 



APPENDIX. NO. I. 



sidered distinct and apart from our colleges, though 
I am far from believing that they either have been 
or are the nurseries of heresies. Nor can I see any 
reason why sound theology may not be taught, 
guarded, and defended as thoroughly in a theologi- 
cal school, as it can be in the closet or in the pulpit. 
May not these schools be put under the tuition of 
orthodox ministers, deeply experienced in divine 
things? and may they not urge upon their pupils 
Scriptural doctrines, the* necessity of heart-felt reli- 
gion, of experimental and practical piety, just as 
zealously and successfully as it can be done in the 
pulpit, and at the same time much more systemati- 
cally and efficiently ? The fact is, heresies of all 
kinds spring up from the corrupt pool of human de- 
pravity, are fostered in the school of ignorance, and 
strengthened and perpetuated by prejudice and 
pride ; and therefore the most effectual way to 
guard against them is to imbue the mind with sound 
learning, to have the heart purified by the fire of 
the Holy Spirit, and to keep up a constant obe- 
dience to all the commandments of God. 

But I intimated that if " Methodism be religion 
without philosophy," if he meant by Methodism, as 
I suppose he did, pure religion, in distinction from 
all other systems of religion, then it follows of ne- 
cessity that until Methodism arose pure religion had 
no existence. If this be its distinguishing feature, 
its characteristic peculiarity, by which it is distin- 
guished from all other denominations, it follows in- 
evitably that all others have religion with philosophy ; 



APPENDIX. — NO. I. 



305 



and hence it follows, "with equal conclusiveness, that 
until Methodism arose there was no pure religion in 
the world ; that until this " religion without philoso- 
phy" made its appearance, under the guise of Me- 
thodism, all other isms were poisoned with the 
foreign admixture of philosophy ; and this there- 
fore alone purified the corrupt mass, and presented 
the religion of the Lord Jesus in a pure, unadul- 
terated state. 

So far therefore from turning aside, or " flying off 
in a tangent," with a view to smite unjustly " a cer- 
tain writer," and thereby giving evidence that I 
had lost my balance, as P. has represented me as 
having done, I think that in defining Methodism 
differently from him I pursued a straightforward 
course, and finding that stumbling-block in my path, 
it was incumbent on me to remove it out of the way, 
lest others should stumble over it into the pit of 
error. Nor can I perceive that I have drawn an 
illogical conclusion from the assumed apothegm that 
" Methodism is religion without philosophy," namely, 
that if this be so, then there was no true religion 
until Methodism arose, with its healing balm, to 
eradicate from human souls the spiritual disease 
with which they were afflicted — that if neither its 
doctrines nor peculiar mode of operation, class-meet- 
ings, itinerancy, nor its organization, form any part 
of its characteristic peculiarity, it has nothing left 
but a floating idea, not having even the meager 
form of philosophy to cover its nakedness. 

These inferences appear to me perfectly legiti- 
20 



306 APPENDIX. SO. I. 

mate, as much so as the following : — There can be 
no religion of the heart of that man whose life con- 
travenes the commandments of God ; but G, who 
professes this religion, contravenes the command- 
ments of God ; therefore G is deceived, having no 
religion of the heart. 
Let us try it. 

There can be no pure religion with philosophy ; 
but all the systems of religion were mixed with phi- 
losophy until Methodism arose, which is " religion 
without philosophy ;" therefore there was no pure 
religion until Methodism arose to purify it from 
philosophy. 

If there be any flaw in this argument I cannot 
perceive it. And the major and minor propositions 
are contained in the piece in the Methodist Quar- 
terly Review. The conclusion is mine, which inevi- 
tably follows from the premises. 

I thought it my duty, therefore, and still think so, 
to remove the flimsy veil under which the erroneous 
definition was hidden, and to unravel the sophistry 
by which it was defended, and thus to present the 
truth without a mask to the reader, that Methodism 
might appear with all its substantial forms, adorned 
with all its lovely features, resting upon the founda- 
tion of solid doctrines, clothed with a garment of 
pure philosophy, and actuated by a living soul, 
breathing the breath of life infused into it by the 
" inspiration of the Almighty" — that thus exhibiting 
a living, moving form, beautified by the graces of 
the Holy Spirit, its M faith's capacity stretched 



APPENDIX. NO. I. 



301 



wider and yet wider still," it may be seen even 
now inarching forward in its career of usefulness, 
while its symmetrical proportions may be scanned 
by the impartial beholder, and still be adhered to 
according to its intrinsic excellence, and its saving 
power, and holy influence, felt and experienced far 
and wide. 

If I have succeeded, as I cannot but flatter myself 
that I have, in my main design, let the reader thank 
God, who, I humbly trust, has enlightened the un- 
derstanding and assisted the pen of his unworthy 
servant, and be encouraged to persevere in the 
" work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of 
hope," believing that God has not yet forsaken this 
plant of His own right hand planting, but that it 
still flourishes under His fostering care, like a fruit- 
ful vine, in the garden of the Lord. Let him above 
all things strive so to live that he may give no occa- 
sion to the enemies of Methodism, that is, pure 
Christianity, to blaspheme that worthy name by 
which he has been called. 



308 



APPENDIX. — NO. II. 



No. n. 

No good perceived from the personal coming of Christ ; though, 
if this were plainly revealed, we ought to believe it neverthe- 
less — No such fact revealed — Examination of those texts 
generally relied on — Do not prove the fact — If he were thus to 
come, it would be as a man ; of course his personal appear- 
ance must be restricted to a particular place — Hence he could 
profit comparatively but few at a time — These difficulties 
overcome by his spiritual manifestation — This answers all the 
ends of his intercession — In this way he can accomplish 
a great work in a short time — The character of the millennium 
— Not all righteous — Proved from Daniel xii, 10, and Rev. 
xx, 8-10 — Gog and Magog, what — During the period of Millen- 
nial glory some remain wicked — More important to have the 
heart right than our mere speculations. 

As to the personal reign of the Lord Jesus on this 
earth, I can see no good to be accomplished by it, 
though this, I grant, is not a sufficient reason for its 
rejection ; because many things are predicted, the 
reasons for which far surpassed the comprehension 
of the human mind, while their fulfilment demon- 
strated the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, 
and developed their fitness by the coming to pass 
of the events themselves. If, therefore, this were a 
plain matter of fact, unequivocally declared in the 
word of God, that Jesus Christ should come in his 
own proper person to reign among men, we should 
be compelled to receive it as an article of faith, 
however mysterious it might appear, and however 
much it might be beyond the depths of human rea- 
son to fathom. But I find no such unequivocal 
revelation, either in the character of a prediction or 



APPENDIX. NO II. 



309 



a declared fact ; and therefore those who profess to 
believe it are forced to deduce it from doubtful 
symbols, from predictions which will easily admit of 
a different interpretation, or by those uncertain in- 
ferences on which we may or may not rely, accord- 
ing to the probability of the data on which they are 
founded. 

The only text that I know of which seems to 
speak of this personal appearing of the Lord Jesus, 
to set up his kingdom on this earth, is that in Acts 
i, 11, in which it is stated that " two men," — whether 
celestial or terrestrial messengers we know not, 
though most probably the former, being angels of 
God sent to instruct the disciples, whose doubtful 
minds hung trembling in the balance between hope 
and fear — " stood by them in shining apparel, which 
said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up 
into heaven? this same Jesus which is taken up 
from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner 
as ye have seen him go into heaven." This text, 
however, is so far from being an unequivocal proof 
of the doctrine of Christ's personal appearance on 
this earth, where he will reign a thousand years, 
that the generality of commentators believe that it 
refers to his coming in the clouds of heaven to judge 
the world— a truth most clearly revealed in nume- 
rous places in the Holy Scriptures. It is much safer, 
therefore, to be content with these plain and un- 
equivocal declarations of divine revelation respect- 
ing the second coming of Jesus Christ to judge the 
world at the last day, than it is to resort to any 



310 



APPENDIX. NO. II. 



forced or mystical interpretation of those solemn 
predictions which relate to future events, and which 
are, to make the most of them, but of a doubtful 
character. 

I said that I could see no good to be accomplished 
by the personal appearance of Christ among men. 
If He were thus to appear, it must be as a man, and 
he must associate with men, as he did in the days of 
his incarnation ; must be located, for the time being, 
to a particular place, and could therefore only be 
seen and heard by comparatively few people at one 
and the same time. Hence he could profit but com- 
paratively few with his personal presence at a time, 
and therefore it would consume a long period for 
him to travel all over the world, for the purpose of 
showing himself to all its inhabitants ; and although 
the news of his having come might, and doubtless 
would, spread rapidly from city to city, and from 
one country to the other, yet this would not satisfy 
the curiosity of men, nor produce that immediate 
conviction of its truth necessary to effect a change 
of heart, and the consequent reformation of life. 
Many doubts would be raised in one place respect- 
ing the truth of the reports in another, and a long 
time would elapse before they were removed, either 
by the personal presence of the Saviour himself, or 
those evidences of the fact essential to produce con- 
viction. All these things seem naturally to arise 
out of the actual state of things, considered in re- 
ference to the constitution of the human mind. 

If it be said that all these obstacles may be over- 



APPENDIX. HO. II. 



311 



come by the operation of his Spirit upon the human 
heart, and by sending His messengers in every di- 
rection upon the face of the earth, for the purpose 
of proclaiming the fact that Jesus Christ had actu- 
ally appeared ; it is answered, that all this can be 
done just as elfectually while He is seated at the 
right hand of God, as it could be on the supposition 
of his being personally among men. This, in fact, 
is done — the Spirit is sent everywhere, to enlighten 
every understanding, to penetrate every heart, to 
arouse every conscience, to help the infirmities of 
all God's people in prayer, and praise, and in the 
performance of every good word and work : God's 
ministers — those who have an inward consciousness 
of His presence, and therefore speak under the 
dictates of the Holy Spirit — are sent out in every 
direction, for the purpose of proclaiming the fact, 
not indeed that Jesus Christ has appeared person- 
ally on this earth, but that He is risen from the 
dead, and that He now liveth at the right hand of 
God, where He is ever making intercession for us. 
Here, then, we have all the purposes for which the 
advocates for the personal reign of Christ plead, as 
the consequence of his thus appearing, fully accom- 
plished by his spiritual manifestation, and by the 
methods he has adopted, and does still adopt, for the 
propagation of his Gospel among the nations of the 
earth. While, if He were personally to appear — 
assume a human form — which he unquestionably 
must do if he make a visible manifestation of him- 
self — he must restrict himself to one particular place 



312 



APPENDIX. NO. II. 



at a time, and thus adopt the slow process of travel- 
ling from city to city, and from one country to an- 
other, in order to make himself known to all the in- 
habitants of our world. By adopting the method 
we have supposed, and which he has actually 
adopted, namely, the spiritual manifestation of him- 
self to the understandings and consciences of all 
men, he can accomplish a great work in a short 
time. And, then, by raising up, inspiring, and send- 
ing forth his messengers everywhere, to proclaim 
him as the living God, to whom all things are com- 
mitted, — these, confirming the truth which the " Spirit 
writes on all truly awakened hearts," will co-operate 
together for the speedy salvation of the world. 

This, it appears to me, is the way in which God 
will usher in the glorious millennium. " Many shall 
run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." 
Many are running to and fro ; the number of faith- 
ful missionaries is increasing, and they are going 
forth in different parts of the world, ¥ proclaiming 
salvation in Jesus' name and, as a consequence, 
knowledge — the knowledge of forgiveness of sins by 
faith in Jesus Christ — is everywhere increasing. 
Thus the new covenant which God promised to es- 
tablish with his people, namely, that he would u write 
his law upon their hearts, and imprint it upon their 
inward parts ; so that they should all know him, from 
the least unto the greatest," is even now opening, 
expanding, and being accomplished in all its power 
and glory ; so that very soon we shall no longer 
be under the necessity of " saying one to the other 3 



APPENDIX. NO. II. 



Sib 



Know the Lord ; for they shall all know him, from 
the least to the greatest." 

And that this is to be understood in general terms, 
not literally, is manifest from various passages of 
sacred Scripture. Thus, in Daniel xii, 10, where 
the prophet is evidently speaking of the latter day 
glory, and of the end of time, it is said, " Many shall 
be purified and made white, and be tried ; but the 
wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked 
shall understand." These words certainly indicate 
that when the Lord shall establish His kingdom upon 
the earth, by the purifying process of his Spirit, by 
which many " shall be made white" " in the blood 
of the Lamb," there shall be wicked men mingling 
with the righteous, who, in resisting the operations 
of his Spirit upon their consciences, will become 
more and more hardened in sin, and hence will con- 
tinue to do wickedly, will wax " worse and worse," 
until they become so blinded that they cannot " un- 
derstand" either the judgments or mercies of Al- 
mighty God. 

So also in Eev. xx, 7-10, it is said, "When the 
thousand years are expired," which all allow is a 
prediction of the end of the millennium, " Satan 
shall be loosed from his prison, and shall go out to 
deceive the nations which are in the four quarters 
of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them toge- 
ther to battle ; the number of whom is as the sand 
upon the sea. And they went up upon the breadth 
of the land, and compassed the camp of the saints 
about, and the beloved city ; and fire came down 



314 



APPENDIX. — IsO. II. 



from God out of heaven, and consumed them. And 
the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake 
of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false 
prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night 
forever and ever." Gog and Magog appear to be 
mentioned here as a personification of the wicked in- 
habitants which will be found upon the earth at the 
close of the millennial period, and whom God shall 
destroy with the breath of his mouth, or consign 
them over to the devil and his angels, to be tor- 
mented forever and ever in the lake of fire, whence 
the " smoke of their torment ascendeth up without 
end." Now, if every individual person were really 
righteous during the thousand years of Christ's reign 
upon earth, whence came this mighty army of His 
enemies, represented as being as numerous as the 
" sand of the sea," and who will exemplify their en- 
mity by encamping around the saints, with a view, 
no doubt, to destroy them ? It is hardly to be sup- 
posed that such a multitude would suddenly aposta- 
tize from the faith, and turn open enemies to the 
gospel of Christ ; such determined enemies as to 
fight against them, with a view to exterminate them 
from the face of the earth. To suppose that such an 
immense multitude, who had actually tasted that the 
Lord is gracious, had beheld His glory unveiled to 
their souls, and had beheld his person visibly mani- 
fested to their bodily eyes, should suddenly re- 
nounce his authority, abjure his religion, and blas- 
pheme his holy Name, and, as a consequence, join 
affinity with his enemies, is to suppose a phenome- 



APPENDIX. NO. II. 



315 



non in the religious world far beyond any compari- 
son in the history of the Church, and totally unac- 
countable on either the principles of Divine revela- 
tion, or of human nature, as mutable and perverse 
as it unquestionably is. 

It is much more rational, therefore, as well as 
agreeable to the analogy of things, and in accord- 
ance with the declarations of God's word, to believe 
that during all that period of millennial glory, there 
were some that remained " blinded by the god of 
this world ;" that by the evil influence of their ex- 
ample the number of the wicked gradually increased ; 
continually resisting the light of Divine truth, they 
" waxed worse and worse," corrupted and corrupt- 
ing each other ; until, finally, they became so nume- 
rous, and so maddened in their folly, as to suppose 
they might overcome the saints of God ; and hence 
they are represented as encamping around them, 
when God appears to vindicate his own cause and 
people, and hurls his vengeance on his enemies, by 
casting them, and the devil who deceived them, into 
the bottomless pit. 

These are some of the reasons for the doctrine 
contained in the text, and they appear fully suffi- 
cient to warrant the belief that the millennium for 
which we are to look is such a one as therein de- 
scribed, and no other. Those, however, who think 
differently are at full liberty to enjoy their opinion, 
provided only they will allow the same liberty to 
me and others who think fit to dissent from them, 
for the reasons above assigned. 



316 



APPENDIX.— -XO. II. 



After all, it is a matter of much more importance 
to have our hearts right in the sight of God, than it 
is to be accurate in our views respecting a mere 
speculative point of such a character as the one 
herein discussed. While I entertain no doubt of 
the correctness of my opinion on this subject, I am 
perfectly willing that others should enjoy theirs un- 
molestedly. 



APPENDIX. NO. III. 



317 



No. ni. 

Population of the World. 



Asia 570,000,000 

Europe 280,000,000 

Africa 90,000,000 

South America 14,000,000 

North America 28,000,000 

Oceanica 18,000,000 

1,000,000,000 

Estimated division of the Religious Denominations. 

Pagans 630,000,000 

Mohammedans 100,000,000 

Greek Church 56,000,000 

Armenians and Jews 14,000,000 

Eoman Catholics 130,000,000 

Protestants 70,000,000 

1,000,000,000 



Note. The above is not set down as perfectly accurate, 
but approximates as near the truth as can well be ascer- 
tained from the various documents which I have consulted. 
And from this statement of the religious condition of the 
world, we may see the great work to be accomplished before 
* { the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the 
waters do the great deep,' 7 



318 



APPENDIX. NO. III. 



Statistics of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

The following table will show the number, together with 
the increase or decrease, from year to year, of ministers and 
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, from the time 
of the first Conference held in America, in the year 1773 ; 
and likewise the per centum of increase and decrease, as 
well as the average per centum for the whole seventy-six 
years. The number of travelling preachers includes the su- 
pernumerary and superannuated as well as effective. 

Note. — In this table the numerous errors which have crept 
into the printed Minutes have been carefully corrected, so 
that those who compare the results here brought out with 
those in the Minutes, will find a discrepancy in many places ; 
though it is probable that errors may still be detected, not- 
withstanding the endeavour to be accurate. 









Increase. 




Per cent, of 


Year. 


Preachers. 


Members. 


Decrease. 


inc. and dec. 


1773 


10 


1,160 








1774 


17 


2,073 
3,148 


913 




79 


1775 


19 


1,075 




52 


1776 


24 


4,921 


1,773 




56 


1777 


36 


6,968 


2,047 




42 


1778 


29 


6,095 


873 


13 


1779 


49 


8,577 
8,504 


2,482 


73 


41 


1780 


42 






nearly 1 


1781 


54 


10,539 


2,025 




1782 


59 


11,785 


1,246 




12 


1783 


83 


13,740 


1,955 




17 


1784 


83 


14,988 


1,248 




9 


1785 


104 


18,000 


3,012 




20 



After this year the white and coloured members were re- 
turned in separate columns, and then the whole were added 
together to make the sum total, which method will be fol- 
lowed hereafter. 



APPENDIX. NO. III. 319 



Year. 


Prckrs. 


Whites. 


Colour'd. 


Total. 


Increase. 


Deere. 


Per cent, of 

increase & 
















decrease. 


1 70c 
1 / OD 


1 1 7 
J 1 / 


19 791 


1,890 


20 681 






1 ^ 
10 


1787 


133 


21 949 


3,893 


25 842 


5 161 
11 512 




9P; 


1788 


1DD 


Of) QQQ 
OU,Oyy 


6,545 


37 354 

d.Q 9A9 






1 7ftQ 
1 / oy 


196 


35 019 


8,243 


5 908 




1 R 
ID 


1790 


227 


45 949 


1 1 fift9 

1 l,00-£ 


57 631 


14 369 




OO 


1791 


259 


^0 ^ft^ 


12,884 


63 269 


5 639 




1 O 
1U 


1792 


266 


52,109 


1 Q ft71 
10,0 / 1 


fi^i Qft.0 


2 711 




1 


1793 


269 


51 416 


1 a 99^ 


67 643 


1 663 




3 


1794 


301 


52,'794 


1 Q ftl A 


fifi «nft 




1 oqc; 
l,UOO 


2 


1795 


313 


48 121 


19 1 70 


60 291 




£5 Q1 7 
0,01 / 


9 


1796 


293 


45 384 


1 1 9ftO 


56 664 




Q £97 




1797 


262 


4fi d-dd. 

10,111 


12,218 


00,000 


1 999 


1 


1798 


267 


47 867 

d.Q 11 p; 
iy, 110 


12,302 


60,169 


1^506 




3 


1799 


272 


12,236 


61 351 


1 182 




2 


i ftoo 

lOUU 


287 


01,14:0 

^7 1 ftfi 
O / ,10D 


12,452 


fid. ftQzL 


3',543 






l ftoi 

IOUI 


Q07 
OU / 


15,688 


79 ft7d. 
/ 0,0 / 1 


7 QftO 

/ ,you 






1 ft09 
1 0U4 


OOO 


Pift H7f^ 
00, U / 0 


18,659 


86,784 


1 Q ftfiO 

10, oou 




1 O 
1U 


1803 


QftQ 
000 


ft 1 fil 7 
Ol, Dl / 


22,453 


1 rid 070 


17 336 




1 Q 

iy 


1 ftOd 

IOUI 


Ann 
iuu 


RQ £OQ 

oy,ouo 


23,531 


113 134 
119 945 


Q Ofid 

y,uoi 
6 811 




Q 

y 


1805 


433 


O^i fi9Q 

yo,o.oy 


24,316 




0 


1 ftOfi 
10UO 


104 


1 HQ Q1 Q 

1U0,010 


27,257 


1 30 ^70 
iou,o / u 


10 625 
14 020 




g 


1807 


516 


114 727 


OO ftfiQ 


144 590 






1808 


540 


121 687 


30 308 


151^995 
163'038 


7,405 




5 


1809 


597 


131^154 


31 '884 


11,043 




8 


1810 


636 


139,836 


34,724 


174,560 


11,522 




7 


1811 


668 


148,835 


35 732 


184,567 


10,007 




6 


1812 


678 


156,852 


38 505 


195,357 


10,790 




6 


1813 


700 


171,448 


42 859 


214,307 


18,950 




9 


1814 


687 


168 698 


42 434 


211,129 




3,178 


2 


J OlO 


/ui 


1 (\H Q7ft 

id / ,y / 0 




211 165 


36 




1 

n 


1816 


OvD 


171 931 


d9 QOd 


214 235 

99d ft^ft 

-sol, 000 


3 070 




1 


1017 
±01 1 


71 R 

1 lo 


1 ft 1 A d9 
iOl ,11,£ 


43,41 1 


10'518 




O 


l fti ft 
1010 


"7 A ft 
/40 


190,477 

901 7^0 


oy,iou 


229,627 


4 774 
11 297 




0 
<o 


10 1 y 




QQ 1 7/1 

oy,i / 1 


9d0 Q9d 




0 


1 Qon 

1C4U 


one 

oyo 


91 Q QQ9 
-oiy, 00,4 


40,558 


9p;q ftoo 
^oy,oyu 

281,146 


1 ft Qfifi 




Q 
O 


1821 


977 


339,087 


42,059 


21,256 




8 


1822 


1,106 


252,645 


44',377 


297,022 


15,876 




6 


1823 


1,226 


267,618 


44,922 


312,540 


15,518 
15,983 




5 


1824 


1,272 


289,427 
298,658 


48,096 


328,523 
347,195 




5 


1825 


1,314 


49,537 


19,672 




6 


1826 


1,406 


309,550 


51,334 


36£,889 


12,680 




4 


1827 


1,576 


327,933 


54,065 


381,997 


21,113 




6 



320 



APPENDIX. NO. III. 

















Per cent. 


Year. 


Prchrs. 


Whites. 


Coloured. 


Total. 


Increase. 


Deere. 


of dec. & 
inc. 


1828 


1,642 


359,533 


59,394* 


418,927 


36,930 
39,816 




10 


1829 


1,817 


382,679 


65,064 


447,743 




10 


1830 


1,900 


402,561 


73,592 


476,153 
513,114 


28,410 




6 


1831 


2,010 


437,024 


76,090 


36,961 
35,470 




8 


1832 


2,200 


472,364 


76,229 
80,540 


548,595 




7 


1833 


2,400 


519,196 


599,736 


51,143 
39,048 




9 


1834 


2,625 


553,134 


85,650 


638,784 




7 


1835 


2,758 


566,957 


85,571 


652,528 


13,744 




2 


1836 


2,920 


564,974 


85,271 


650,245 




2,283 


1 



This year, and the subsequent years, the numbers of local 
preachers were returned in the Minutes, and they are ac- 
cordingly set down in a separate column in the years which 
follow : — 



Year T. Pr. 

1837 3,147 

1838 3,332 
1839|3,557 
1840j3,6S7 
184113,865 
1842! 4,044 
184314,286 
1S44 14,627 
1845 ! 4,828 
1846 1 3,280 

1847 3,642 

1848 3,471 
184913,984 



L. Pr. 

4,954 
5,792! 
5,S56i 
6,339! 
6,893; 
7,144 
7,730 
8,0S7 
8,109 
4,985 
4,913 
! 5,191 

;5,154 



Whites. 


Coloured 


Total. 


Increase. 


Decrease. 


Per 

c'nt 


570,123 


79,670 


654,7561 


4,511 




| 


615,212 


81,337 


702,332 


47,576 
43,983 




7 


650,357 


90,192 
96,668 


746,315 




6 


698,777 


801,784 


55,469 




7 


748,442 


104,476 


859,811 


58,027 




7 


803,988 


109,313 


921,045 


61,234 




7 


936,736 


131,789 


1,076,255 


155,210 




17 


1,021,818 


145,409 


1,175,314 
1,147,696 


99,059 




9 


985,698 


153,889 


27,618 


2 


613,125 


31,174 


649,344 




498,352? 


43 


600,941 


30,617 


636,471 




12,873 


2 


608,917 


30,088 


644,196 
667,469 


8,735 




1 


632,773 


29,542 


23,273 




4 



Average per cent, of increase 9|. 

Add the number of travelling preachers to that of the mem- 
bers for the year 1849, and we have a total of 671,453. 



* The numbers of Christian Indians are included in this and 
the subsequent numbers of coloured members. 

t The number of local preachers is included in the sum total. 

t This great decrease is owing to the secession of the slave- 
holding conferences. 



APPENDIX. — NO. III. 



321 



General Summary. 
Number in the Methodist Episcopal Church, in- 



cluding travelling preachers 671 ,453 

Number in the Methodist Episcopal Church, 

South, including travelling and local preachers . . 496,586 
Number in the Wesleyan Connexion in Great 

Britain, Ireland, and the Missionary Stations.. . 470,011 

Number in the Canada Conference 24,268 



1,662,318 

Add to these the following, who have seceded 
from us in this country and in Europe, 
namely : — 

The Primitives and others in Great Britain 



and Ireland 200,000* 

Methodist Protestants 64,313 

Reformed Methodists 3,000 

Wesleyan Methodists 20,000 

Grand total 1,949,631 



* I am not certain that this number is accurate, as I have not 
been able to find any authentic document to verify it, though 
I judge it not far from the truth. 



21 



INDEX. 



Activity commended, page 266. 
Africa, population of, 200. 

Bible Societies, good influence of, 180 ; promote union 
among Christians, 181. 

Bigotry reproved, 272; contrasted with true Catholi- 
cism, 273. 

Book Department, apathy in the, 48. 

Christian Perfection, 57. 

Christ, spiritual reign of, 311; good effected thereby, 
312 ; how accomplished, 312. 

Denominations, Eeligious, — Armenians Greeks, Jews, 
Mohammedans, Pagans, Protestants, Roman Catho- 
lics, 317. 

Education, apathy in, 34. 
Errors, practical, pointed out, 252. 
Europe, state of religion in, 201. 

Evangelical Alliance, 130 ; Wesley laboured to pro- 
mote it, 131 ; his principles of union', 133 ; good effects 
of, 134 ; not carried into effect, 135 ; the Author wrote 
in favour of it, 142; how it is to be effected, 143. 

Eisk, Dr., quoted, 81. 

Eleming, his calculations, 189 ; his account of the down- 
fall of papacy, 195. 
Florence, state of religion in, 210. 



324 



INDEX. 



Germany, state of religion in, 214. 

God the author of all good, 128 : gratitude to, inspired, 

185 ; gratitude to, for what he hath wrought, 179. 
Gospel, influence of, 177. 

Hungary, state of religion in, 212. 
Home-work essential, 269. 

Improvement, evidences of, 29; temporal, 29; in 
church building, 31 ; in education, 33 ; in the mission- 
ary work, 39. 

Intemperance, Wesley on, 119; his pointed remarks 
against, 120; extract from his tract, 121 ; provided 
against in General Rules, 123 ; the Methodist Church 
vacillates on, 124 ; our rule against it, 125 ; Rev. Mr. 
Hewitt's labours acknowledged, 126. 

Methodism compared, 27 ; doctrines of, 55 ; not religion 
without philosophy, 291 , absurdity of that idea, 295 ; 
it excludes doctrines, itinerancy, class-meetings, and 
church organization, 296 ; the maxim denied, 296 ; it 
contemns the prophets, the Lord Jesus and his apos- 
tles, Wesley and the Reformers, 297 ; the error of the 
maxim exposed, 304 ; Methodism presented in its 
true light, 306 ; old-fashioned, 61 ; its circumstantials, 
66 ; declined in some places, 71 ; its improvements, 
72 ; British and American compared, 77 ; latter more 
prosperous, 78; the reasons for it, 81 ; its missionary 
work, 94 ; its labour in the tract cause, 99 ; establishes 
Sabbath schools in America, 113 ; had been at work 
nearly half a century before Raikes commenced, 116; 
its influence, 145 ; opposed, 146 ; its distinctive fea- 
tures, 147 ; the pulpit and press arrayed against it, 
148 ; its cause, 155; taught sanctification, 157. 

Methodists, their increase in wealth, 231; middling class 
most liberal, 232 ; deficiency in liberality, 233 ; ability 
ample, 234 ; their covetousness rebuked, 235 ; their 
deficiency in missionary collections, 236 ; not much 
better result in other departments, 238 ; whole family 
of, can do much, 271. 

Millennium, in what it consists, 193 ; drawing near, 197. 



INDEX. 



325 



Ministers, how qualified to preach, 243 ; how raised up, 
244 ; eminent talents in, compatible with holiness, 
245; examples of such, 246; importance of piety- 
pressed upon them, 249; evidences of this, 250; 
necessity of deep devotion of, 275 ; must duly appre- 
ciate their high obligations, 287 ; should be filled with 
the Holy Spirit, 288 ; otherwise will sink into luke- 
warmness, 289; names of eminent, mentioned, 163; 
wherein they agree, 164; Methodism contributed to 
this result, 165. 

Missionaries, Ward, Morrison, Coke, 178; their influ- 
ence, 179 ; how qualified for their work, 264 ; success 
of such, 265. 

Missions, home, 45. 

Movements, benevolent, 47 ; in the number of publica- 
tions, 48. 

North and South, dispute between the, 21. 

Numbers, diminution in, 16 ; its causes, 17 ; comparison 

between this diminution and that in 1778 and 1795 P 

18. 

Religion, pure, hindrances in the way of, 129 ; how to be 
removed, 130 ; experimental, 167 ; practical, 168 ; ge- 
neral state of, 207. 

Khinebeck, old district, 72. 

Riches, increase of, among the Methodists, 223 ; a means 
of doing good, 223 ; necessary for the spread of the 
gospel, 223 ; sin of, in abusing them, 225 ; right use 
of, a blessing, 226 ; lead to luxury, 227 ; how to guard 
against, 228 ; Methodists warned against its influence, 
229 ; the remedy, how to be used, 263. 

Schools, Sabbath, Raikes originates, 108; Wesley pa- 
tronizes, 109 ; his delight in beholding them, 110 ; in- 
troduces gratuitous instruction in, 112. 

, Theological, heresies did not originate in, 299 ; 

but from unlearned ignorance, 300 ; proved, 301, 302. 

South America, state of religion in, 204. 

Spirit, witness and fruits of the, 56. 

States, United, state of religion in the, 206, 



326 index. 

Success, want of. no evidence of lack of piety. 71. 
Switzerland, state of religion in, 211. 

Times, signs of the, 191 ; very pleasing, 193 favourable, 
222. 

Toleration, promoted, 183 ; produced a better state of 
things, 184. 

Union, Christian, 162; Wesley's proposition to "White- 
field for. 137: rejected, 138; embodies the spirit of 
the evangelical alliance, 139. 

Works. Wesley's published, 149 : caricatured by Southey, 
149 : yet his character exalted, 150 ; world much im- 
proved by, 169. 

World, the,' compared with its former state 170. 



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